Dead and Blonde
by Math Princess
Summary: What if... Eric was the vampire charged with investigating the local telepath? How would that change Sookie's experience with vampires? How would it impact their relationship?
1. Chapter 1

a/n One night after devouring many ESN stories, I was lying in bed and I wondered: _What if Sookie's relationship with Bill had never happened?_ Eric is the most powerful vampire in Area 5 – it only makes sense that Sophie-Anne would trust him more with the task of gathering intelligence about the resident telepath. What if Eric was the first vampire Sookie had ever seen? And here we are. This is my first fanfic writing - so please be gentle.

a/n These characters are property of Charlaine Harris. Thanks for doing the heavy lifting! And please don't sue me - I'm a teacher.

a/n Thanks to my beta, Northwoman! You're awesome! She's really given me the confidence to put this up. . . :-)

* * *

Chapter 1

**Sookie's POV**

It had already been a long night at Merlotte's bar and it was only 9:00. I'm a barmaid and I love my job but tonight had been especially hard, considering my disability and the restless atmosphere. I plastered on my fake smile and kept serving up pitchers of Bud Light and baskets of cheesy fries when Lafayette, our rather flamboyant cook, rang the bell for me.

"Sookie!" my brother, Jason, cried from his seat in the corner booth. He had a new girl on his arm – he'd been favoring curvy brunettes for the past few weeks. "Can't we get some more beer over here?"

"Of course, Jason," I replied as I carried over their pitcher. "I don't have any more customers to take care of or anything." I placed their beer on the table. "Anything else?"

"_I'll take a piece of that ass,_" I heard with my extra sense – the disability I've lived with all my life. It took me a moment to realize it had come from the booth behind me – the Ratrays, naturally. Such a fitting name – the Rats. When Jason shook his head, I made sure to keep my smile on – it had taken a long time for me to keep what I heard in my head from affecting my facial expressions too much. Not all people thought nasty things, but they all thought about things I didn't want to know. The time it had taken for me to understand the difference between people's thoughts and what was coming out of their mouths had been long enough to earn me the name _Crazy Sookie. _Being a telepath had made for a rough childhood and a lonely adulthood so far.

Not that I had anything to complain about - lots of people had it worse than me. I had a roof over my head, a good job, and enough money to make a small but comfortable living. I still lived with my Gran in the Stackhouse family home just outside of Bon Temps. Gran would be ashamed of my ungrateful thoughts - she had raised me better. Remembering that, I turned to the Rats' table. "Can I get y'all something else?"

"Just some more beer, pretty thing," said his mouth while in his head rang, "_I can think of plenty things you could do for me_."

"Coming right up!" I said as I scurried back to the bar. Thoughts assaulted me on the way - images, words, emotions.

_Did I pay the gas bill? _

_I hope the wife didn't cancel Cinemax - I'm gonna need their late night show tonight._

_Look at the tits on that one. I don't care if she's crazy, she looks good._

_Am I pregnant? Why else would I be late?_

I could usually block them out a little better, but my fatigue from the dinner rush had done me in. There was no shield between me and the thoughts of the bar patrons. I ducked down behind the bar just to catch my breath for a minute and pretended to arrange the kegs under the taps. "How ya doin, _cher_?" Sam asked me.

Sam is the owner of Merlotte's and he's the best boss I've ever had. His thoughts aren't as transparent as most people's - not that I tried to listen to them, mind you. I'd had to quit too many jobs when I found out what was going on in the head of my superior. He was just a little taller than me and had a halo of strawberry blonde hair. He was also nice to look at - I'd seen his muscles glistening in the sun when he unloaded liquor trucks in the summer without a shirt. I stopped that thought abruptly - he was my boss and had no business in my personal fantasies. "I'm okay, Sam. We've been real busy tonight."

"You take a break if you need it," he said meaningfully. Sam knew about my disability. I could only hide it for so long from those closest to me, and since I had been working for Sam for several years, he had eventually figured it out.

I smiled. "Thanks, Sam." I was thinking about taking him up on his offer when I looked around my section and realized there was no way I'd have time for a break - too many drinks that needed to be refilled. I was halfway through my round when I detected a hole of silence enter the bar. _Silence_. I had never experienced that before. Breaking off half into a sentence, my curiosity overtook me. I glanced back toward the doorway and saw the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen.

He was tall - so tall. I estimated about 6'3". He had piercing blue eyes and silky blonde hair that brushed his shoulders. He had on a pair of black jeans that hugged all the right places and a black v-neck t shirt that showed off his muscular physique in a subtle way. He was pale but had a slight glow that made him seem a little ethereal. I saw his eyes meet Sam's and watched him nod a little. Then, his blue eyes met mine. I felt trapped there as I basked in his mental silence. It took a couple of seconds for me to come back to reality and look back to my customers - Sheriff Dearborn and Detective Andy Bellefleur. "I'm sorry, y'all. Sheriff, you wanted a Burger Lafayette with fries, and Andy, you wanted onion rings with yours? Sweet tea or Bud tonight, guys?"

They shared a small grin that seemed to say, "_Yep, she's crazy all right_" before they nodded and ordered their drinks. I wrote it down on my order pad and went to the window to give it to Lafayette. He smiled at me - his white teeth gleaming against his dark chocolate skin - then winked. "Looks like tall, blonde and handsome sat himself in your section, Sookie, you lucky little thing! Maybe he'll give you his phone number, girl!"

I grinned. "I doubt that, Lafayette, but thanks for the vote of confidence." I knew I looked good in my waitress uniform - a white shirt with Merlotte's embroidered on the right breast and a pair of black shorts - but I didn't have any delusions as to my dating prospects - hard to date when you can hear your beau's thoughts. Can you imagine hearing that your date wants to get you in bed while you're ordering popcorn at the theater?

"Lord knows I'd ask for it if I wasn't stuck back here! I know I could show him a good time!"

"No need to talk dirty, Lafayette. Don't forget I'm a lady!" I scolded halfheartedly. Arlene, my fellow barmaid and friend, sidled up beside me, twirling her atomic red hair around a finger.

"Oh my God, Sookie, did you see that man? I wonder where he's from! My panties got wet when he walked in that door!" she said, adding a wink.

"Arlene! What happens in your underwear is your business, not ours! Don't you be talking dirty!" I said sternly. Good grief. You'd think he was the only man she'd ever seen - and he definitely wasn't. Arlene was currently on husband number 4 - her two kids, Coby (from husband #1) and Lisa (from husband #3) were cute as buttons and I'd babysat them more than a few times. She meant well, though, and was as close to a friend as I had besides my childhood friend Tara.

Arlene giggled. "Go see what you can _do for him_, Sookie!" she urged with a push in his direction.

She and Lafayette exploded into laughter as I pulled my pad out of my apron and approached his table. The thoughts of the other patrons faded away as I got closer to him and I noticed he had a smirk on his face like he'd heard what Arlene had said. How ridiculous. "Hello, sir. My name is Sookie and I'll be your waitress this evening. What can I get for you?"

His eyes met mine and again, it was like time stood still. His silence was so refreshing I wanted to sit down at his table and not move for the rest of my life. The glow of his skin had me wondering again what was different about him when he smiled. "Do you serve TrueBlood here?"

I almost fell over. Merlotte's first vampire! That explained the glow, I guess. Vampires had "come out of the coffin" a few years back and I had just been waiting and waiting to meet one. The political line was that they were victims of a virus that left them allergic to sunlight, garlic, and silver. I wasn't sure how much of that I believed, but I knew it was true they survived only on blood - the invention by a Japanese scientist of artificial blood had allowed them to step into the, er, moonlight. TrueBlood was the first of many brands of bottled, synthetic blood that supposedly provided all of their required nutrition. I wasn't entirely skeptical, but I had read enough about vampires and vampire bars in the newspapers to know that they didn't get all of their diet needs from a bottle.

My crazy smile slipped back on. "I'm sorry, sir, but we bought some a couple years ago and no one ever ordered it so it went bad. Is there anything else I can get you?" I could hear Arlene howling with laughter back by the bar at my question, and a smirk flitted across the blonde vampire's face.

"Are you Sookie Stackhouse?" he asked, to my surprise.

"The one and only," I replied before I could think better of it. How did he know my name?

"Then bring me a glass of red wine, please."

"Right away!" I said as I turned to go back to the bar. Did he make it sound like he only ordered something because I was Sookie Stackhouse? Surely not - I must have been imagining it. While Sam poured the glass for me, I wondered if he would actually drink it.

"Can you believe we've got a vampire in here, Sam?" I asked.

He smiled stiffly. "I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later," he replied as he gave me the glass of wine. "I know you're tired, _cher_, and it looks like it's calming down so why don't you go on home in a few minutes?"

I put the glass on a tray with a couple of napkins and smiled at Sam. "That's sweet, Sam, but I'm supposed to be here until midnight so that's when I'll leave." I looked around the bar. Maybe it did seem like it was calming down; although how all of the women were entranced with our newest customer could be why. I walked the glass of wine carefully over to the vampire. "Here you go. Let me know if you need anything else."

He dismissed me with a nod of his head. I guess there couldn't be much said about their friendliness. I made my rounds through the rest of my tables and gratefully noticed that the assault of thoughts had diminished. I tried on purpose to listen to the vampire's thoughts but couldn't get a single thing - no emotions, no images, no impressions - nothing. Interesting. We in Merlotte's went on with our business until about closing time when everyone started to trickle out. The vampire sat there the entire time without even touching his glass of wine, but tipped me handsomely when I gave him his check.

I was a little disappointed when he had gone while I was in Sam's office counting out my tips and gathering my purse. We were all tittering excitedly about the possibility of having a vampire in Bon Temps and the probability that the Vampire Rights Act would pass while we cleaned up then walked out to our cars. I said goodbye to everyone and watched as Sam walked up the steps to his trailer then in the doorway. He waved back at me as he shut it and I turned to unlock my door when the vampire materialized next to me.

"Holy _crap_, mister, you can't just sneak up on people like that!" I berated as I knelt to find the keys I had dropped. "Especially not in the dead of night! Especially single women!"

He dangled my keys in front of me and smirked. "Here you are Miss Stackhouse. Sorry for the fright I gave you."

I jerked them out of his hand. "Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get home."

"Before you go, I just wanted to ask you one question," he said, gazing into my eyes. I felt some kind of pressure in my head - must be a headache coming on. "Won't you come with me?" he asked. "We could have a good time," he leered.

Without even thinking about how stupid it was, I slapped him across the face. "What kind of girl do you think I am?" I exclaimed then got into my car, locked the door, and hurriedly drove away. When I worked up the courage to look in my rearview mirror, he was gone.

* * *

**Eric's POV**

The slap across my face didn't hurt at all. It merely took me by surprise, but not nearly as much as the fact that my glamour didn't work. I cursed in my native language - long dead - and made myself refrain from capturing her in my arms and flying away with her as she took a few, long seconds to get into her car and drive away. It would have been so easy. This young woman was full of surprises, it seemed. I took to the air and followed her to her house. Thinking it best not to push my luck again, I headed back to my bar, Fangtasia, in Shreveport without landing. The flight there would give me a few minutes to reflect on the evening.

When I had walked into the shifter's bar - that's what Sam was, after all, a shapeshifter - on my mission, the moment the blonde barmaid's eyes had locked with mine I wanted her. I knew I would have her - the fact that she turned out to be the object of my mission was simply convenient. I could mix business with pleasure; that was my main goal, actually, as the owner of a popular vampire bar. Give the people a show, and they'd let you suck their blood. Sometimes it was willingly, even. The humans that came always wanted a show and most of them wanted more - fangbangers, I'd heard them called. They were more than willing to donate to the cause and fulfill the needs of a vampire - in more ways than one. And most of them were revolting. Shaking the memories of the one I'd had (twice) last night from my head, I returned my thoughts to the barmaid Sookie. This mission was going to take more finesse that I'd needed in dealing with humans in over 1000 years. I love a challenge.

I'm the Sheriff of Area 5 in Louisiana - the area that contains Shreveport and Bon Temps and many other towns for that matter. It's my job to make sure that the vampires in this area are acting "appropriately," which means they're not killing anyone. Vampires had worked hard in the last few years to be somewhat accepted in mainstream society. Those of us in the US had been mostly successful, although there was opposition. Each area of the country (usually states) were governed by a vampire King or Queen, who delegated smaller areas to their Sheriffs.

Most humans had no idea about our own little governing system, and we like to keep it that way. The Queen of Louisiana, Sophie-Anne Leclerq, had recently taken a liking to a buxom blonde named Hadley. Apparently, Hadley had a cousin who was a little strange - Sookie Stackhouse - and it was told that Sookie could read minds. My queen was most curious about this cousin and wanted to know the depth of this talent. When she had requested my presence in New Orleans (that's where she lives, of course), I had gone right away.

My mission was simple. Find Sookie Stackhouse, figure out if she could really read minds, and if so, do whatever necessary to make her work for us. I could see the prospects of having a telepath on hand. Dealings with humans of any kind would benefit. So, now I had accomplished step one. I had found her.

She had been so charming, and had even blushed when her coworkers suggested something lewd about me. I knew she found me attractive, I could tell by the quickening of her heartbeat when she walked by my table. I thought back to her lovely features - she had big blue eyes and long blonde hair. I felt the crotch of my jeans tighten as I thought about her figure - she had luscious breasts and a high, tight ass. She'd be a pleasure to fuck, I was sure. And her scent was enchanting, a mixture of innocence and something more - I would bet she tasted good, too. That didn't help the growing erection in my pants.

I landed in the parking lot behind Fangtasia and entered the back door. Pam, my child and lieutenant, met me in the hallway. "Any results, Master?" she asked, walking with me to my office.

"Some," I said, sitting behind my desk. "I found her at the shifter's bar in Bon Temps, just like we were told."

Pam remained standing in the doorway. "Anything else?" she asked, sounding bored.

"I couldn't glamour her." No sense in hiding the truth.

Only vampire eyes could detect the subtle change in Pam's face, showcasing her alarm and surprise. "What?! She resisted your influence?"

"She's different, Pam," I said - the passion in my voice surprising me. "This is going to take more care than we planned."

"Different how?" Pam asked, her eyes sparkling. "Is she pretty?"

I shot her a warning look. "She is mine," I said before I realized I felt that way. "She is proper. And very pretty." I felt an erection begin again. "And untouched."

Pam laughed. "Did she glamour you?"

"Absolutely not. Bring me a woman, Pam. Blonde. And remember your place." She could be so cheeky.

Pam smirked. "Of course, Master. Right away." She slipped out.

This was going to be a long night.

* * *

**Sookie's POV**

I pulled up behind my Gran's house and parked. I was a little spooked after my late night encounter and therefore hesitant to get out into the dark. He had appeared so quickly! I shook my head, chasing the thought away. I had said my piece and if he had followed me home I would say it again. I got out of the car and straightened my spine, lifting my head high. Couldn't live my life afraid of the dark. Not that it mattered, anyway, because nothing or no one assaulted me in the few steps to the back porch.

Gran had the kitchen light on for me, as usual. I opened the screen door and walked across the porch into the light. I could see her through the glass in the back door - she was sitting at the dining room table, her long gray hair plaited for bed, reading a book. I smiled and walked in. "Hey, Gran."

"Sookie! How was work?" she asked, putting her book aside. I got home late from work, but she liked to stay up on the town gossip.

"It was good, real good. We had a vampire come in, tonight! In Bon Temps! Can you believe it?" I said, laying my purse on the table and sitting beside her.

She gasped. "Did he bite anyone?"

I laughed. "No, he didn't bite anyone. He tried to get me to go with him after we closed, but I put him in his place real quick."

Gran smiled. "Do you think he'll come back? How old do you imagine he was?"

"I don't know, Gran. He was really handsome, though. He could have been a Greek statue. And the way that everyone looked at him, you'd have thought he was the only man in the world." I was having a good time remembering him, even if he had made a risque request. I let my mind wander over him - his broad shoulders and tapered waist, his strong nose and blue eyes. "I couldn't hear him, Gran."

Her eyes widened. "You mean hear, _hear_ him?" I nodded. She looked thoughtful for a moment. "I imagine that would be real nice for you, Sook. Silence."

I smiled. "It was."

She got up. "I'm off to bed - glad you're home safe. See you in the morning."

"Good night. I love you." I sat there for a few minutes after she went to her bedroom, relaxing in the peaceful quiet and thankful my headache had never materialized. The vampire's appearance had seemed so random - and his wish to sit with a glass of wine he wouldn't touch, too. Why had he approached me? I had heard many thoughts from many others who would have willingly gone on with him. I mentally shrugged - it beat me. Eventually, I got ready for bed and fell into a deep sleep full of a blonde stranger who ravished me.


	2. Chapter 2

_a/n Thanks everyone for reviews! I was so surprised and touched by the response ~ you guys are awesome!! I hope to update at least once a week, but I thought I'd go ahead and get you started on Chapter 2... happy weekend!!_

_a/n Another thank you to my beta, Northwoman! She rocks! Also, these (awesome) characters belong to the (amazing) Charlaine Harris.  
_

Chapter 2

The next day was Saturday, and I had to take a good, long, cold shower before walking into the kitchen where Gran was making breakfast thanks to the hot dreams I'd had all night. Jason had beat me to the table this morning - he lived in our late parents' old house across town, but never missed an opportunity for a hot and home-cooked meal. He looked up at me from his plate, mouth full and smiled. "Good morning, Sook."

Gran slapped his arm. "Mind your manners, Jason Stackhouse. No one can understand what you're saying with your mouth full."

She had raised us from the time I was 7 and Jason was 10 when our parents had died in a flash flood, and Jason knew better than to talk with his mouth full at her table. I grinned at him. "I saw you had a new friend last night at the bar, Jason," I said, unable to resist. My brother was a widely-known womanizer, but viewed as a mostly good guy by our little populace.

"That's just Amy. We'll see," he said cryptically, shooting a glance at Gran. He didn't want her to know his reputation, although I knew she was well aware of it.

Gran smiled at me, handing me a plate. "You have to work today?"

I shook my head. I'd somehow managed to get a Saturday off, even though I was the only single barmaid at Merlotte's. I'd planned on using it to catch up on my errands - the library, the post office, the grocery store - and my suntanning. The warm June sunshine was calling my name already.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Gran went with me to the grocery store, but then I was home alone all afternoon and into the evening when she went to her social club meeting. After tanning and doing yard work all afternoon, I sat on the front porch to read. I was about to give up on reading by the porch light when the vampire from Merlotte's appeared on the steps.

Startled, I jumped up. He held his hands out, palm up. "I'm sorry for frightening you," he said.

I looked at him warily. "If you're here to proposition me again, buddy, think again," I said defensively as I sat back down. He raised an eyebrow. I'd bet not many people called him buddy.

"No. I am here to introduce myself. I am Eric Northman, from Shreveport. A colleague of mine knows your cousin Hadley."

It was my turn to raise an eyebrow. "She's not in trouble again, is she? She never paid back the money Gran gave her for rehab a few years ago. We've not heard from her since then." A terrible thought crossed my brain, but he had said _knows_, as in, present tense. "What's that have to do with me, anyway?"

A look of frustration crossed his face. "No, Hadley is not in trouble. Hadley talked about you with my colleague and she thought you sounded, _interesting_." What I found _in__teresting_ was his emphasis there.

"Interesting?" I repeated. "How so?"

He seemed to choose his words carefully. "Talented, in a particular way. My colleague would like to offer you a job of sorts, Miss Stackhouse. And I'm the messenger."

I rolled that over in my brain for a few minutes knowing he was talking about my telepathy. Hadley and I had been closer as youngsters, but she had chosen a different path than mine when puberty hit. "No need to be so formal; calling me Sookie is just fine. Is your colleague also a vampire?" He nodded. "What would this job involve?" I loved working for Sam, but I couldn't say no to a few extra bucks.

He came up the last few steps cautiously, clearly not wanting to frighten me. I motioned to the chair beside me. Gran would die if she knew how inhospitable I had been so far to my guest. He sat down and met my eyes. I was surprised and exulted again at the silence of his brain. "So it's true?" he asked, his eyes looking like a kid's in a candy store. "You can hear thoughts?"

I nodded cautiously, thinking I should have not been so forward. "I can. Sometimes in words, sometimes in pictures." What had I just gotten myself into?

"Can you hear what I'm thinking?" he asked guardedly. I had a feeling that would not be so good for me, so I was relieved that I could shake my head no. He smiled. "That's good."

"What would I be doing for your colleague, Mr. Northman?" I asked again, getting curious about this proposition, but also about the vampire presenting it to me.

"Please, call me Eric. The details are negotiable, but she wants you to be a truth detector basically. We would provide the transportation and an escort" he smiled winningly, making me think it would be him, "and compensation, of course."

"I don't know how I feel about working for a vampire," I said truthfully. The one sitting in front of me was the only one I'd ever met. "How would I be sure I was safe?" I read the newspapers, and about the girls who disappeared after getting involved with a vampire.

"Do I make you feel unsafe?" he said, leaning a fraction closer.

Oh, boy. My face flushed and my heart raced. Certain parts of me were quite alert and screaming, "Yes, yes, and I _like_ it!" His face was so close to mine. I could easily lean closer and put my lips on his. I sat back abruptly - where had _that_ come from? I didn't even know if he thought of me like that! Which, I realized was quite refreshing.

A small grin started on his handsome face. "You would be safe with me, Sookie," he whispered. "I promise."

Who knew whispering was such a turn on? I cleared my throat and tried to get my fogged brain back to reality. "Where would I have to go?"

"Shreveport, maybe New Orleans. I own a bar in Shreveport and it could be considered neutral ground for meetings." He leaned over a bit more; he was clearly enjoying my discomfort. I pushed my hair back off my neck absentmindedly - had it somehow gotten warmer after dark? His fangs slid out, surprising me.

I shot out of my chair and back a few steps. "None of that, Mr. Northman, um, Eric. I'm sorry I don't have any TrueBlood to offer you, but I can't help it that you showed up unannounced."

He looked down for a moment and when he looked back up at me, his fangs were nowhere to be seen. "I'm sorry,Sookie. I don't mean any harm. You are very beautiful," he said quietly.

I blushed. "Thank you."

He stood and took a couple of steps toward me. "I find you very alluring. I would like to know you more."

Parts of me were hoping he meant know in the Biblical sense. "That's nice, Eric, but I work a lot, and..." Many years of loneliness were hard to break in one night. Besides, I didn't even know this man, er, vampire.

He stepped closer again and slowly, carefully reached out to brush my hair back off my face. "Please don't say no. Let me take you out to dinner?"

I laughed before I could stop myself. "What will you eat?"

He grinned and I thought maybe I didn't want to know the answer. "I would be more interested in the company." He brushed an index finger across my cheekbone and my body felt like it was on fire. "Please say yes. I am not accustomed to working this hard for a lady."

I was quite sure that was true. Why would he with looks like his? I desperately wanted to say yes - the peaceful quiet of his head would be a nice break from other dates I had been on - but something was stopping me. A warning in the back of my brain. I didn't know this vampire at all. I didn't know _any_ vampires at all. He seemed nice enough, but.... what if he wasn't? Finally, I said, "I'll make you a deal, Eric. One date. But first, you have to spend an evening here, with me and my Gran. I can't just go out with any man... I mean, vampire off the street!"

"That I can do. What evening would you like? Tomorrow?"

"My next day off is Wednesday."

I thought I heard him say something under his breath like, "_Damn shifter_," but that didn't make any sense. "Wednesday it is. Can I have a kiss for my trouble?"

Straightforward, this one. I smiled - I liked that in a person - and presented my cheek. He leaned forward slowly, so slowly I wondered if he'd ever get there, and kissed me gently on the cheek while running a hand down my arm. My face flushed and I looked up at him only to be caught in the spell of those eyes again. "See you Wednesday, Eric," I said then turned to walk inside before he could talk me into much more than a kiss on the cheek. I don't think I could have said no.

* * *

**Eric's POV**

I stood on her porch for a few seconds after she slipped inside. I think in all of my years, I had never wanted to kiss a woman so much. I had told her the truth – I found her very alluring and very beautiful. It was obvious that she treated me just like anyone else and I was unaccustomed to that. Most humans cowered from me and none dared to call me "buddy." I grinned at the memory; she was cute when she was serious. Hell, who am I kidding? She was cute all of the time.

As I took to the air, I called Sophie-Anne. "You have spoken to her?" she answered. I loved the way she got straight to business.

"Yes, my queen, I have. She is. . .hesitant but not disagreeable. I think a few more visits should bring the negotiations into our favor."

"Why didn't you just glamour her into agreeing, if she was _hesitant_?"

I am truthful, but I am also shrewd. It could be bad for Sookie if it was widely known that she was immune to glamour. "I wish our dealings with this human to be above table, my queen. I believe she could be very valuable for a longer period of time if she came into this deal willingly," I said carefully.

Sophie-Anne laughed. "You are always thinking of my kingdom, Eric. But it sounds like you just might want to keep her for yourself."

Yes. I did. "I believe I am the only vampire she has ever met. If I can get her to trust me, she may be in our employ for quite some time – that is all. A telepath is more useful if they are not disposable, yes? And I have no doubt that she will be very helpful in my own area, as well."

There was silence for a few moments. "All right, Eric. Proceed as you see fit, but remember who is Queen, won't you?"

"Of course, Your Majesty. Goodnight." I clicked my phone shut and furrowed my brow. This was going to take finesse on more than one field, I could see. Good thing finesse is one of my natural-born talents.

After landing in Shreveport at Fangtasia and having my meal of the evening, I called Pam into my office. It had been a long time since I was forced to court anyone and I needed advice. Pam was very up-to-date on human habits because she reads Dear Abby constantly.

She came in and sat down across from me in her usual work attire – a filmy black dress. "Yes, Master? Any more news about the telepath?"

I nodded. "She is hesitant to trust me," I began and Pam scoffed. "I am the only vampire she has ever met."

"Then she should consider herself lucky for meeting the great Eric Northman," Pam said heatedly. Pam may be biased, a little.

"All the same, she knows nothing about vampires. She seems delicate, Pam, and I don't want to scare her off before we have a chance to gain her employ for Sophie-Anne. I am going back to visit her on Wednesday. Should I send her flowers?"

Pam laughed mockingly. "Are you _dating_ this human?" It was obvious that was a ridiculous idea – I supposed it was, normally, but not with Sookie.

I rolled my eyes. "I am simply trying to make a good impression, Pamela."

"Dear Abby says not to be too pushy. I think it would be acceptable to take flowers with you, but sending them randomly may not be. Why are you so eager to please this human?" Pam asked skeptically.

That was a good question. I find myself drawn to her in some inexplicable way – like I've known her before. "Because our queen demands it. Humans are willing to go along with you if they think they are being treated well, are they not?" And she's beautiful and enchanting and unique. And untouched by humans or vampires. "I want to bring her here soon, Pam, to introduce her to the vampire scene a little. I will want you to be with her if I cannot." Pam nodded. "Is there any business to take care of tonight?"

"A new vampire wishes to move into our area. His name is Bill Compton. In fact, he wishes to live in Bon Temps – apparently it's where he's _from_," she said. Pam had no desire to return to her living roots when she was turned and doesn't understand the longing of some who do. "He seems harmless enough. Lorena is his maker and has released him." I knew Lorena – she was dark and twisted, even for a vampire. "He wishes to _mainstream_." Pamela also loves what she became and feels no desire to pretend to be human.

I nodded. "Do you know where he would live in Bon Temps?" It could be convenient to have an ally close to Sookie.

"Not exactly, although it seems his family home is now vacant and he wants to live there – he expects that if the VRA passes he will own it once again."

"He has my blessing. Work him into the schedule for appearances here and make sure he understands his duties."

This was a part of my job – to keep track of and approve any vampires that lived in my area. I am a very fair Sheriff and most vampires are very happy under my watchful eye – those that do what they are told, anyway. I make no outrageous demands of my underlings and I know they are thankful.

Pam nodded and I dismissed her with a nod of my head. She glided out of my office as I turned to my computer. Emails had to be answered and business had to go forward, but all I could think of was a certain blonde telepath and how she might change my future.

* * *

**a/n Now, while you ponder what could happen next, you need to go check out the Deadpan contest! I've read a few entries so far, and they're so good!! **

**a/n If you're looking for something to read, I highly recommend it: **_**http://www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/~deadpancontest **_**(You know what to do with the dots and so on, right?)**_**  
**_


	3. Chapter 3

_a/n Hey everyone! I hope this story is as fun to read as it is to write - I'm having a blast. Thanks again for your reviews - they make me smile!_

_a/n Thanks again, Northwoman, for your amazing beta skills! Also, these characters belong to Charlaine Harris - I'm just mixing them up a bit.  
_

Chapter 3

**Sookie's POV**

The next few days passed quickly. Gran hardly believed we were having a real, live (ha!) vampire over on Wednesday night and had cleaned and cleaned the already spotless house. I went to the liquor store and picked up a pack of TrueBlood – I didn't want any fang popping around Gran. Sam asked me about Eric and got all huffy when I said Eric was coming over to our house, like he had any say over my love -- I mean social -- life.

Gran and I set to cooking our own meal, since we assumed Eric would be coming over soon after dark. We thought it would be nice if we could sit around the dinner table and visit, even if not all of us would be eating. After the pot roast was in the oven, there was nothing to do but wait. And wait.

Finally about 30 minutes until dark, Gran shooed me to my room to get ready. I fussed and fussed over what I was going to wear, finally settling on a white sundress with large red flowers scattered on it. Feeling daring, I pulled my hair back into a low ponytail and left my neck exposed. I had just touched up my makeup and smoothed my dress for the hundredth time when I heard an engine roar into our driveway.

I shot out into the living room like a rocket. Gran looked over at me excitedly and I waited by the front door, trying in vain to hear footsteps on the porch. I still hadn't heard any when there was a faint knock. I smoothed my skirt again, swung open the door, and just about fell over.

He looked so handsome in the porch light although I knew it didn't do him justice. He was dressed a little nicer tonight, wearing a dark blue button down shirt with gray slacks. His hair was loose, except for one small braid at the front. He had a crooked grin on his face and held out the prettiest bouquet of wildflowers. "These are for you, Sookie."

I smiled. "Thank you." I held the door open for him, waving him into the house.

His brows furrowed the tiniest bit and he whispered, "You must invite me in or I cannot enter," so low only I could hear him.

Weird – I guess some vampire voodoo to keep the food safe. "Won't you come in, Eric," I said pleasantly. Hopefully Gran hadn't noticed the awkward pause. He handed me the bouquet and looked to Gran.

"You must be Mrs. Stackhouse," he said and walked toward her holding out a single daisy. "This is for you, Madame."

I could have sworn that my Gran flushed red, but she took the flower with the grace and poise of a queen. "Thank you, Mr. Northman, but please, call me Adele. Won't you join us in the dining room for dinner?" she said, leading him in that direction.

I followed them in and didn't miss the smirk he gave me about "joining" us for dinner. I walked to the fridge and pulled out a TrueBlood for him – thankfully I knew from the one shipment at Merlotte's to heat it in the microwave. While I was heating his _beverage_, Gran made our plates and within minutes we were seated at the table like some strange sort of family.

Eric sipped on his TrueBlood while we ate and made small talk. Finally, Gran got a serious look on her face and asked, "Mr. Northman, why is it that you have made our acquaintance? Is this only some business deal for you?"

I know I turned six shades of red, but Eric just smiled. "Please, Adele, call me Eric. And, I will admit that it began as a business deal but I find your granddaughter very intriguing for more reasons than her special gift. I am hoping to get to know her better – she seems like a charming, perfect Southern Belle." There was my seventh shade of red.

Gran nodded. "Now, Eric, I'm sure you know what a treasure she is to me. I just want to make sure that no harm comes to her."

"I will do my best to ensure that, Adele." Gran seemed satisfied after that, thank goodness. She then moved onto our family history and how long a Stackhouse had lived in this house and so on.

After a bit, Eric said, "That reminds me, Adele. I was recently contacted by a Bill Compton about living in this area – do you know where the Compton residence is?"

"Of course I do – it's right across the graveyard from our house. That old house has been around longer than ours has . . . but the way I heard it, all the Comptons are dead so I don't know who would be inquiring about it under their name." I shifted uncomfortably for a moment until a look of understanding crossed her face. "You mean he's a vampire?"

Eric nodded. "He seems to be rather agreeable, though. I wouldn't allow a menace to live in my area." _His_ area? Interesting.

We moved into the living room after a bit, where Eric entertained Gran with stories about this area from long ago. He must be very old, but I didn't think it would be proper to ask. Finally, he smiled that winning smile and asked, "Would you mind if Sookie and I took a walk outside? It's such a lovely night."

"Well it's fine by me, if it's fine by her. Sookie?"

I smiled up at Eric. "That sounds nice."

We set out toward the graveyard – I had been out here so many times I didn't find it spooky anymore. After a couple of minutes, Eric reached over and took my hand as we walked. "Do you have any more family, Sookie?" he asked.

"Just my brother, Jason."

He smiled. "Can I ask how old you are? It's hard for me to tell by looks anymore."

I scoffed. "Gentlemen never ask a lady's age, Mr. Northman!" I pretended to be scandalized.

"Can I guess?"

"If you like."

"Thirty?"

I scowled. "Do I look that old?" I teased.

He smirked. "Remember, Sookie, that I am much, much older than I appear – do I look centuries old?"

I grinned. "I guess not. I'm 25, just so you know."

"Twenty-five? You're practically a baby!"

I smacked him on the shoulder. "I am not! Sometimes I feel older, but I always figured that was due to my disability," I said seriously, gesturing toward my head.

Eric pulled up short and put a hand on each of my shoulders, leaning close and looking into my eyes. "What you have, Sookie, is a great gift. It pains me to hear you say otherwise."

I shrugged. "You should try living with it, if you think it's so great. Imagine hearing your mom wondering what was wrong with you or your weird uncle thinking about touching you in private places. Imagine hearing every thought a man has while you're out on a date or about your brother's latest sexual escapade. I assure you, it's no picnic."

Several emotions crossed his face at that but it settled in lines of compassion. He gently squeezed my shoulders and sighed. "I did not want you to be upset."

"I'm not upset, and I don't mean to complain. I'm plenty blessed to balance it out." He was standing so close to me I could hardly think. His mental silence and god-like appearance made me want to go weak in the knees.

His eyes skated down my body and back up again. "You are very blessed, Sookie," he said, his voice full of heat that made my body flush.

I wanted him to pull me close but I shook that thought away. "Is it true you can hypnotize people?" I asked, instead. Might as well learn more about vampires since it looked like I might be working for them someday.

He smirked. "In a way, but we don't want that known everywhere. We call it 'glamour,' and it's more of projecting our influence – we can be very persuasive," he said with a wily grin, his eyes bright.

"Did you glamour me the other night?" I asked.

His grin tightened. "I tried, Sookie, but you resisted. I believe that has something to do with your gift, too."

That would explain the pressure I had felt, like a headache coming on. "Is that good?"

"I do not know. I can only hope that we leave it between ourselves for now and see what happens. Vampires do not like to be at a disadvantage, no matter how slight."

"It hardly seems a disadvantage," I retorted. "I guess the speed, reflexes, and strength don't count. And the flying."

"Not all vampires can fly – it is a skill only some possess. Some have other gifts; it's usually something they had during their first life, only magnified."

"You can fly," I said – it wasn't a question, but a confirmation – and he nodded. "Will you try to glamour me again?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to be?"

I laughed. "No. Maybe. I'm just curious."

"Curious about me or being under my influence?" he asked, leaning a little closer to my face.

"Both, I guess," I answered softly, my eyes falling involuntarily to his lips. _Are you sure you're not under his influence, anyway?_ A voice in my brain asked.

He closed the last couple of inches between us and kissed me softly. My knees threatened to give out and my body cried for more. His lips were firm but soft, molding around mine like they were meant for it. His hands slid down my arms to my hips and rested there, pulling me closer to him. I kissed him back for all I was worth, trying to make up for experience with voracity, and slid my hands up (and up and up) around his neck.

After a few moments, I had to pull back to breathe but he kept me pressed against his body. He began to trail kisses down my jaw line to my neck and I stiffened – he was a _vampire_ after all. "Relax, Sookie," he said softly as he caressed my earlobe with his lips and tongue. "I will not bite." I noticed that he didn't say _do not _bite with the little of my brain function that was left.

He worked his way back to my lips. Oh how this vampire could kiss! As he pulled back slightly again to let me breathe, I noticed his fangs slide out. He leaned close to me and took in an unneeded, deep breath. This was so new to me, and so foreign. Mixed signals were going off in my body: warning sirens and flashing lights in my brain – I still didn't know Eric hardly at all – and slick heat and pulsing below my waist – I bet he felt so good. I had to take a step back from him and it spoke volumes to me about him when he let me.

He smiled at me. "You smell so good, Sookie, and you're so beautiful," he said, fangs still showing.

"I'm sorry, Eric, but this is a lot for me in one night," I answered. "I wish I could just let go but I can't. I hardly know you." I edited out a_nd you're a vampire!_

Eric nodded his understanding. "And I'm a vampire. I know."

* * *

_a/n I know, I know - you want more (at least I hope you do!) - it's coming soon, I promise. Until then, I want to know where I can get a knee-melting Viking kiss. Anyone know? :-)_


	4. Chapter 4

_a/n Here's chapter 4, lovely readers! Thanks a million for the reviews - I love reading them!! I hope you all are having an awesome Saturday! (I speak in exclamation points a lot in RL, too.... sorry...)_

_a/n Once again, to the amazing Northwoman - you're the best beta a girl could ask for! I mean it!  
_

Chapter 4

**Eric's POV**

To say that I wanted her is an unjust understatement. The erection she had influenced days ago had hardly been absent at all and it was back in full force now as she stood mere inches from me smelling of innocence and arousal. I knew I was treading on slippery ground with her, though, and I didn't want to push. Too much. I knew being a vampire was pushing it as it was, and I said so.

She nodded, her eyes widening. "I do like you, Eric," she said breathily. "I want to see you again, but I think I may be at my limit tonight. Walk me home?"

It was a question; like she wasn't sure I would. "Of course," I said, reaching for her hand. I needed her to feel safe with me if she was ever going to agree to keep seeing me, much less to working for Sophie-Anne.

We walked in silence for a few moments; she seemed to be working up the courage to say something when she finally blurted, "Do your fangs come out because you're hungry?" and looked back down at her feet.

I grinned. "Yes, and no. I am very old, Sookie, and I do not need much blood to survive." How to explain that the reason my fangs made an appearance tonight was the same reason for my raging hard on? "For vampires, arousal and feeding are intertwined; they usually happen together. So, while I am not necessarily hungry for blood, my body reacts similarly when other hungers surface."

Blood seeped into her face only a little slower than a look of understanding; her blush made her look even more delectable. I saw her eyes dart down toward my groin then back up again. "That hardly seems fair," she said. "Men have enough trouble hiding their feelings when it comes to that and now you've got two more little signs, right in your face."

I laughed. "I've honestly never thought of it that way." Most women don't take the time to look north again when I'm aroused. Then again, I was quickly learning not to measure Sookie Stackhouse by the same ruler I used for every other woman.

"You make me _hungry_, too," she said all in a rush. "Since you can't see mine, it's only fair."

I could only grin in response. I knew that she was turned on by her smell, of course, but hearing her say it… _fuck_. I don't think Fangtasia has enough blondes to keep me occupied until I can have the one I want. By this time we were back at her grandmother's house. I led her up to the steps and could feel her hesitate to walk away. She had gone up a stair or two, so she was looking me right in the eye when she turned around suddenly.

"Eric, I. . ." was all she got out of her mouth before I kissed her again. This kiss was the one I should have given her the last time, one I knew would leave her breathless. As I slipped my tongue between her lips, she sighed and leaned into me.

The feeling of her body pressed against mine, her small warm hands in my hair, the taste of her in my mouth was the best kind of torture. . . _Keep it under control, Viking_ I told myself. Sookie Stackhouse is a lady, not a fangbanger. She will be worth every agonizing minute of patience. I had to keep the images of things I'd like to teach her out of my head.

She pulled back for breath and I looked into her eyes. "I will see you again, Sookie."

She nodded. "Do you want my number?" she asked.

I want your everything. "Yes. I will call you." Pam had said that's usually how it worked. I pulled my cell phone out and programmed in the number she recited. I kissed her again, soft and sweet this time. "I should go." And leave her wanting more.

She nodded. "Good night, Eric. I'll talk to you soon."

I turned and walked back to my Corvette slowly enough to let her enjoy the view. If there was something I knew I could do, it was entice a woman. She walked into the house as I turned the engine over and began the drive back to Shreveport.

On the way, I made several phone calls pertaining to Area business and returned a call from Sophie-Anne. "She has agreed?" the queen answered.

_Not exactly to working for you_. "She is open to the option. I will have her come to my bar for negotiations. Can you have some paperwork drawn up and sent over by the end of the weekend? I think it will make a stronger case."

"Sending my best sheriff wasn't a strong enough case?" she said unbelievingly.

"She is not aware of vampire politics, my queen; most humans are not, as you recall. I am hoping to introduce her to the idea at Fangtasia." I paused and then asked, "What if she refuses?" hoping it would lead where I wanted to go.

"Is that a possibility?" Sophie-Anne asked sharply.

"Like I said, my queen, I think it best not to push her. She could be a very valuable asset with the proper deal," I answered honestly. A deal worthy of her talents.

"Then offer her a deal she cannot refuse. If the terms drawn up in the paperwork sent to you is not good enough, you have my permission to amend it. Be reasonable." There we are – just what I was aiming for.

"Of course, my queen. I am always reasonable."

"Which is certainly one of the reasons you're still alive after a millennium," she said shrewdly then disconnected. She liked to keep me in my place, but only enough to remind me she was older and wiser. Sophie-Anne was one of the best vampire monarchs in the US; she had to be to keep New Orleans under control. I knew she trusted me to broker the deal with Sookie, and I trusted only myself to give her the terms Sookie would undoubtedly earn.

When I stepped into Fangtasia, Pam met me in my office. "How was your _date_, Master?" She had been having quite a good time teasing me about my evening with Sookie.

"My evening was lovely. Sookie's grandmother is charming – she could give _you_ a lesson, that's for sure," I said, sitting in my desk chair and powering up my computer.

Pam rolled her eyes. "I have breasts – I need no charm," she retorted, which I supposed – all things considered – was true. "Did she at least let you kiss her this time?"

Oh yes. I nodded, remembering the feel of her warm lips against my cooler ones. "She gave me her phone number, too," I said, too late recalling this would be more fodder for mockery.

Pam scoffed. "How many phone numbers do you want? I guarantee you could get at least a dozen by just walking out into the bar, Eric. What is it about this girl?" she demanded, her eyes flashing. Pam sees no need to court the favor of only one when she might have the favor of very many.

That very question puzzled me. What _was _it about Sookie Stackhouse that made me feel centuries younger? "She is an assignment from the Queen, Pamela," I answered. The official line is sometimes the best, no matter its validity.

Unfortunately, Pam didn't buy that one little bit. "Yeah, right," she muttered. "Do you want another blonde tonight, Master?"

No, I want a particular blonde. I shook my head. "How long before I can call?"

Amazed, Pam just shrugged. "I would imagine that 1:00 am is too late. Master, I do not want you to come to harm because of a stupid girl; you are too. . ." she began, but cut off when I growled low in my chest, standing and pounding my fists on my desk.

"Sookie is not _stupid_," I spat. "You will not speak of her in such a manner, Pamela, and will show her every respect you would show anyone in the employ of your queen, and your sheriff."

Pam lowered her eyes and whispered, "Yes, Master." After I sat back down and calmed myself, she added in a mutter, "She better be worth it, Eric. You deserve the best."

"She may very well be the best, Pam," I said, feeling every word resound in my head. It had been more than 1000 years since I had felt so alive.

**Sookie's POV**

Gran didn't even say a word when I reentered the house and walked to the couch in a daze. I sat down and leaned back, closing my eyes to help me remember the vampire's mind-numbing kisses. After a few moments of silence, I said, "He's nice, don't you think, Gran?"

She looked up from the quilt squares she was making. "Oh yes, Sookie. He was very gentlemanly. And so handsome! Do you think you like him, dear?"

Mostly I just thought about him taking off my clothes. "Maybe," I said. "It's too early to tell – I barely know him." Which meant it was _way_ too early to be removing clothes.

"Do you think you'll let him bite you?" she asked calmly.

I blushed, remembering his explanation of the appearance of his fangs earlier. "Gran, how would I know? That seems scary," I said, hoping to cover up my flush.

She nodded. "I don't think he'll hurt you, Sookie. You deserve a real nice man; and one you can't hear," she added, gesturing toward her head.

I grinned and winked at her. "Are you telling me to get involved with a vampire, Gran?"

She laughed, her eyes twinkling. "I'm telling you that you deserve to be happy, same as everyone else. If it's a vampire makes you happy, then so be it."

"You know, I read in the newspaper about some people saying that vampires are evil and that God wants us to kill them all," I said. Apparently, there were big groups of these people concentrated here and there, causing all kinds of trouble for the sunlight challenged.

Gran furrowed her brows and shook her head. "Seems to me that if they're here, God must have created them. And Jesus teaches us to love, not hate and kill," she said.

"I think you're right, Gran," I said as I got up; I was tired and my time with Eric had given me so much to mull over. I kissed her on the cheek. "I'm going to go take a shower. Good night."

"Good night, Sookie."

I walked into my room to grab some pajamas, then down to the end of the hall into my bathroom. I turned the shower on, knowing it would take a few minutes to warm up. As I stepped out of my dress and slid my panties down my legs, I remembered the feel of Eric's hands on my waist, my neck, my face; the feel of his lips against my own. I closed my eyes and envisioned his face right after our kiss on the steps, looking like he was holding back. I pulled the hair tie out my hair, shook it out over my shoulders and stepped into the hot stream of water.

There were many things I needed to think about: the opportunity and task of using my telepathy to make money – money that would help repair our roof and pay our property taxes; working at Sam's bar – I had to pull a double tomorrow and needed a good night's sleep before it; my brother's debauchery and the trouble it was bound to get him in. But, as I slid my hands down my wet body, I decided that could all wait.

Eric had earned my thoughts tonight.

* * *

_a/n has Eric earned your thoughts (or at least a review or two)?? :-)_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**Sookie's POV**

It was a long two days before I came home from working the middle shift (11 – 7) to find a note by the phone: Gran had written: _Sookie_, _Eric called this evening and wants you to call him back. I'll be home late; I went to play bridge with Mrs. Fortenberry. If you're hungry, I left you a plate to warm in the oven. Love, Gran_

I squealed. I jumped up and down. I may have done a little dance. I hadn't figured him for a one-day caller, but I will admit that when he hadn't called me on Thursday I had gotten a little anxious. And, since he had made me wait for two days, I decided that making him wait until I had eaten my dinner wouldn't hurt him a bit. Seriously, it wasn't like he would be going to sleep anytime soon.

At least, that was the plan. Halfway through my meatloaf and mashed potatoes, I couldn't wait another minute. As I walked over to the phone, I caught myself patting my hair and running my hands over my clothes to smooth wrinkles. What had gotten into me? It's not like he could see me through the phone!

I carefully dialed the number Gran had written at the bottom of her note. "Fangtasia, the bar with a bite," a female voice answered, sounding as bored as can be.

"Hi," I said, trying not to sound so excited, "This is Sookie Stackhouse, and I was returning Eric's call?"

"I'm sorry; my master is indisposed at this moment. Can I take a message?" the woman replied, still no inflection in her voice.

"Um," I answered cleverly as I twisted the phone's cord around my finger. I had not expected him to be _busy_. The woman on the other end let out an exasperated sigh at my obvious intellect.

"He should be out of his meeting in a few minutes, I'll have him call you back," she said, then disconnected before I could muster a thank you. Well. Nothing to write home about where vampire friendliness was concerned, I guess.

The twenty minutes it took Eric to call me back may well have been the longest twenty of my life. I finished my dinner halfheartedly and then changed into a pair of soft cotton shorts and a tank top for lounging. I tried to lounge in the living room with the book I was reading, but I'd read the same line at least fifteen times when the phone finally rang. I sprinted to answer it and tried not to sound out of breath when I said, "Hello?"

"Sookie. I'm sorry I was busy when you called."

I knew I was smiling like a fool, but I didn't care. "Hi, Eric. It's okay."

"I want to see you again. When are you next off work?"

I barely contained my urge to do a jig. What was _wrong _with me? I hadn't even gotten this excited about dates in high school for crying out loud. _You can't hear his thoughts_ my brain reminded me kindly. _And he makes your nether regions dance_. So glad that was cleared up. "Um, I'm off Sunday. I know that's soon and I'm sure you're busy, but then I'm off again on Tuesday."

"May I see you both days?" he asked, much to my surprise. And delight.

"Maybe," I hated to say. Sometimes Gran had things she needed me to do on my days off, and I said as much to Eric.

"Of course, Sookie," he replied.

"But, let's say yes for Sunday, and I'll let you know about Tuesday then. Is that all right?" I vowed right then to do anything Gran needed before work Monday night – I could sleep all day on Tuesday, I just needed to be awake for the evening.

"That is perfect. I know just the restaurant for our dinner. I'll pick you up at eight."

"Okay," I said.

"I must go for now. I will see you Sunday," Eric replied.

"Okay. Good night."

"Sleep well, beautiful Sookie," he said, then disconnected.

I hung the phone up then sat on the stool Gran kept close for long calls. In my head, I calculated how much money I had to spend and deduced I had been frugal enough recently to earn a new outfit for my first real date in quite some time. My childhood friend Tara had a small clothing shop called Tara's Togs in Monroe and was really good about holding things back for me that she knew I would love. I would have to pay her a visit tomorrow before work and see what I could afford. My mind made up, I went about getting ready for bed – I'd have to be up early to get to Monroe and back before two o'clock, but I knew it'd be worth it.

**Eric's POV**

I flipped my cell phone shut and grinned. Pam gave me a wary look and rolled her eyes. "She better be worth all of this trouble, Master. Although, I must admit, you've been very easy to please since she came around," she observed.

I raised an eyebrow. "I believe that we should be ready for her to visit Fangtasia on Tuesday evening. Sunday I will be taking her to Bella Vista. Call and make reservations for 9:00. Arrange for Compton to be present Tuesday, and Felicia. We'll have the contract drawn up by then. Is there other business for me to see to tonight?"

Pam smirked. "No, Eric. You should put in an appearance on the throne, though. The vermin get restless if they don't see you often enough."

I dismissed her and went out into the bar. It was harder than normal to control my expression; the patrons come to see broody vampires, not happy ones. I guess it's good I've had over 1000 years of practice. I thought about my plan for Sookie's contract negotiations. The initial proposal Sophie-Anne's lawyer, Mr. Cataliades, had drawn up was good, but I'd added a couple of provisions – insurance coverage and mileage. I was confident these would be the things Sookie could not refuse.

I wanted my new charge Compton to be present because he was a part of the plan. He seemed to be trustworthy, and his close proximity to Sookie could be useful if she ever needed help. I wanted her to know that if she was working for us, we would take it as seriously as she would. I felt like if I could get her to take the deal with Sophie-Anne, I would have more time for her to accept me. _Accept you as what, Viking?_ That's the million dollar question, I suppose.

When I thought I had been seen on my throne long enough, I left the bar in Pamela's capable hands. I drove my car to my closest home, parked it in the garage, and took to the air. What started as a leisurely flight to clear my mind turned into a trip to Bon Temps. I was honestly surprised to find myself above Sookie's family home, and landed lightly in the shadows of the wooded area.

I crept up to the windows on the back, thinking I would advise Sookie to get a dog. They had no idea I was here. I peered into the window that I guessed would belong to Sookie's room and was rewarded with a glimpse of her sleeping in her bed. Her golden hair, practically the same shade as mine, was strewn across her pillow. One arm was flung above her head and the other was resting on her belly. Her graceful legs were tangled in the blanket and bare; a light blue nightgown barely covered anything else I wanted to see. I allowed myself one deep breath of her sweet scent and reluctantly took to the air again. There was nothing to be gained by becoming a peeping Tom.

I flew home and ran a hot bath to help me relax. How was it possible that a simple peek at Sookie had left me wanting yet again? I slid down into the hot water and slid my hand to my aching erection. How long would it take for me to gain her trust and access to her luscious body? Too long for comfort, I was sure. For some reason, since I had sampled her hot kisses two days ago, I hadn't felt compelled to take any woman who was offered to me at Fangtasia; only TrueBlood for me, no feed and fucks. _Hello, old friend_ I thought wryly as I took my troubles into my own right hand. Somehow I knew she would be worth it.

**Sookie's POV**

I woke up slowly the next morning when my alarm went off, but then remembered why I had set it. _Shopping today!_ was enough of a mental shove to get myself out of bed and into a pair of denim shorts, a tank top, and flip flops. Gran was already in the kitchen and washing last night's dishes when I walked in.

"You're up early, Sookie. You want me to cook you some breakfast?"

I shook my head no as I made a bowl of cereal. "I'm going over to Tara's shop this morning before work. Is there anything you need from Monroe?"

"No, I don't believe so. Are you shopping for something special?"

I couldn't help the goofy smile that spread across my face. "Eric's taking me out tomorrow night. I thought I might find something to wear."

Gran smiled. "That will be fun for you," she said. "Where's he taking you?"

"Some restaurant in Shreveport. I'm so excited, Gran! Boys around here just take you to Merlotte's for a date!"

She laughed at my enthusiasm, and by this time I had finished my quick breakfast. I walked over to the sink to wash it but she shooed me away with a hand. "Let me do that, you go see Tara. Tell her I said hi!"

"I will, Gran. Love you," I said, kissing her on the cheek. I gathered my purse and went out to the car. The drive to Monroe wasn't terribly long, but it was always nice to be driving somewhere other than work. I blasted my favorite country music station and sang along loudly. And maybe a little off-key. I was more of a dancer than a singer, but who could hear me alone in my car?

About 20 minutes later, I pulled up to Tara's Togs. She wasn't supposed to be open until 11:00, but it was only five more minutes, so I walked up and tapped on the door. I saw Tara's head poke out of the back room and she smiled when she saw it was me. She gave me a great big hug when she opened the door. "Sookie! It's been too long, how are you?"

"I'm great, Tara! Gran says hi. I came to see what you've got – I've got a date tomorrow night!" I said as I followed her back to the counter.

"Anyone I know?" she asked, curious about the town gossip as ever.

I shook my head. "No. I just met him a few days ago, but he's real nice. He's taking me to a fancy restaurant in Shreveport!"

She smiled as we walked over to a rack of dresses. "What's his name? What's he look like?" she asked.

I stopped perusing the clothing and looked at her seriously. "His name is Eric, Tara. He's the most handsome man I've ever seen! And. . ." I hesitated. She made a 'go on' gesture with her hands. "And he's a vampire, Tara. He came into Merlotte's the other night."

I knew she was surprised; I could tell by the look on her face and the thoughts in her head. "What makes you want to get mixed up with a blood sucker, Sookie?" she asked out of true concern.

I shrugged. "I can't _hear_ him, is one thing. But he came over and had dinner with me and Gran – he's such a gentleman," I said as lightly as I could and returned to browsing.

Tara's eyes widened in understanding. We'd been a sort of pair of outcasts in grade school, which accounted for our close friendship. Her parents would never win a parenting award – they had sent her to school hungry and in dirty clothes, and spent the money they had on booze. She ended up staying with me at Gran's more than she did at home by the time we were teenagers. She totally understood, as much as she could, anyway, about my disability and the problems it caused me with the opposite sex; it had been hard enough to keep girlfriends. "Oh my goodness, Sookie. What did Gran think of him?"

I grinned. "She says she likes him and that I ought to be happy. If he's the one that makes me happy, it's just a coincidence he's a vampire."

Tara laughed. "That sounds just like her."

It felt so good to talk to her – I could get out all my troubles. "I'm worried that I'm counting too much on it. Like he's the only chance I'll ever have for a normal life." I laughed. "Listen to me – _normal _ life, with a vampire!"

About thirty minutes later, I decided on a new dress. It was a halter with white chiffon covering a white sweetheart bodice and a black chiffon skirt that fell at my knees. There were a few little details at the empire waistline to break it up. It was just what I was looking for – simple, elegant, and comfortable. It looked great against my tan, and Tara picked out the perfect pair of black satin pumps to match. The total was a little more than I'd planned for, but it was worth every penny.

Satisfied with my purchases, I chatted with Tara for a few more minutes but had to scoot to get back to Bon Temp and then to work on time. As I hung the dress in my closet, safe in its plastic garment bag, I contemplated the possibilities for Sunday night. Whatever happened, I knew I would be drop dead (ha!) gorgeous.


	6. Chapter 6

_a/n Hey everybody! Of course, I didn't realize until AFTER I had submitted Chapter 5 that I'd forgotten to put a note at the top... oh well. Just a few minor details today - sorry I haven't been responding to reviews lately; it's a lame excuse but it's a real one - Work sucks. I'm a teacher and we're right at that busy end-of-the-year time..... 6 more days, but who's counting?_

_I hope you guys like date night - it's an extra long chapter (with some lemons) because I love you so much! Thanks, Northwoman, for being an awesome beta! Also, characters belong to CH... blah-dee-blah-dee-blah. Thanks, Ms. Harris for your amazing imagination!  
_

Chapter 6

**Eric's POV**

Most nights when I woke up, I would leisurely shower and casually stroll into Fangtasia around 9:30. This night, however, was much different. I came out of my dead slumber at around 7:15. I shot around my house at vampire speed – shower, clothes, beverage – and was ready by 7:25. I knew it usually took around an hour to get to Bon Temps from Shreveport, but that was for _average _drivers. Nothing about me is average.

My drive over was uneventful, although I doubt many humans had registered my Corvette in their rearview mirror before it flew by them. Before I got out, I looked down at myself appraisingly – Pam had given this outfit her seal of approval, and I knew I looked good – black slacks, blood red button up with a black undershirt. All of my clothes were tailored to fit, so I know they showed off my every advantage. Confident, I walked to Sookie's front door and knocked lightly.

It took her a moment to answer, and if I'd needed to breathe, she would have stolen my breath away. Her gorgeous blonde hair was twisted gracefully up off her neck – she sure knew what to show, didn't she? – and her body was enveloped in a simple black and white dress. Her legs looked strong and beautiful, her cleavage looked delicious. Her golden skin contrasted the white bodice in a way I could not readily think of words to describe. My dick tightened at the sight and smell of her. "You are stunning, Sookie," I said as I held out the red rose I had brought.

She smiled. "Thank you. Won't you come in for a second?"

I trailed in to the living area as she disappeared into the kitchen. Adele was working on some kind of handicraft on the sofa. "Hello, Adele," I said. "How are you?"

She looked up and smiled. "I'm doing just fine," she replied. "Take care you get her home safely, Eric."

"Oh, I will. We will call if it will be too late."

She grinned, her eyes twinkling. "I don't care a whit about the time, just so long as she's safe. She's grown and can take care of herself."

Did this Southern matron just give me permission to keep her granddaughter out all night? I believe she did. I gave her a mischievous smile. "I appreciate that."

Sookie reappeared, the bloom of the red rose pinned into her hair. "Are you ready?"

Oh gods, yes. I nodded. We got into the Corvette and headed to Shreveport. The first few minutes of the drive were silent; it took her that long to relax back into her seat. I reached over for her hand. "Have you ever been to Bella Vista before?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Am I dressed okay? I wasn't sure. . ."

I met her eyes. "You are beautiful. Never doubt it. As far as what everyone else is wearing, be assured that your attire is entirely appropriate and that it is the only attire I will notice all evening."

She blushed and I grinned. This woman was not accustomed to compliments, but I would do my best to change that. "Oh," she said, "Gran doesn't need me on Tuesday night, so I'm all yours."

If only that were really true. "Excellent. I will have you meet me, and a few others, at my bar in Shreveport. I wish to speak with you about the business offer I made then. But not tonight – tonight is strictly no business." Unless that business was horizontal and naked.

She smiled. "Where are we going for dinner again? Can you tell me about it?"

"It is called Bella Vista. I know many people who recommend it, and the smells always make me long for Italy when I have the opportunity to go. I'm told the food is quite good. A local family owns it." I had several acquaintances with human companions who strongly recommended this restaurant; I had taken humans to it before with whom I had done business dealings, but never a woman I wanted to impress. In fact, I could not quickly remember the last time I had wanted to impress a human woman.

"That sounds nice. I love Italian food."

We fell into a comfortable silence and remained so until we pulled up to the restaurant. I let Sookie out and escorted her in as the valet parked my car, her eyes staring up at the building in wonder the entire time. We were seated rather quickly in a private booth toward the back; the ambiance of the restaurant was perfect for our dinner date – there was music playing quietly in the background and the lights were dimmed just enough to make our table feel intimate.

As we were seated, our waiter came for our wine selection. I ordered a glass of Royalty Blended and Sookie ordered a glass of white wine, a chardonnay I noted. It wasn't long before she made her dinner selection and we settled back into our chairs. Sookie smiled shyly at me over her glass. "Thank you for taking me out," she said. "I don't want to forget to say it later."

I had to stop myself from smirking – it was doubtless that I wouldn't have her thanking me in my preferred way tonight. "The night's not over yet," I said instead. "Don't thank me until you're certain you have enjoyed yourself." Had I put too much emphasis on the word enjoyed? What was it about this woman that had me second-guessing my every move? It is decidedly unlike me, and I dislike it, but I'm intrigued, nonetheless.

**Sookie's POV**

Eric's brow furrowed right after he said something about enjoying myself on our date. I missed part of it because I was fantasizing about how I could _really_ thank him, but I shook that thought away. I had been a little creeped out at first about him drinking a glass of Royalty Blended – it was supposedly just what the name said, a blend of blood donated by royals from around the world – but I had forced myself to get over it; it's no different than a TrueBlood, I told myself. It wasn't like he had drained a person right into his glass – yikes. _Need a new thought now!_

I distracted myself by studying him as he talked to the waiter delivering our food. There was something about him that made everyone he came into contact with know he was the man – vampire – in charge. He got things done; you could see it in his face. He thanked the waiter and turned his blue eyes to me, watching expectantly for my reaction to my dinner, I'm sure.

Those blue eyes; I loved how they would occasionally betray his age. There was some wisdom in them that he couldn't have possibly obtained in the short life his body had lived. "How old were you when you, um. . .?" I trailed off and took my first bite, not sure how to finish the (probably very rude) question I had blurted out when my curiosity overcame me.

Eric smirked. "Guess."

I wrinkled up my face in pretend concentration. "Forty?" I guessed, figuring it was way too high.

His eyes narrowed and he gave a quick shake of his head. "Absolutely not." Lord help him, he was vain.

"Twenty-five?"

"That's better. Actually I'm not exactly sure, if I am truthful. I know I was in my early twenties; maybe twenty-three? We did not keep track of age as closely as humans do now in my time."

I smiled. "And you called me a baby!"

He laughed, but then said, "I have been around, though, for much, much longer than that."

"A century?" I asked, suddenly also curious about his actual age. It was weird to think about how much a person could experience with centuries to spare. No wonder he was such a good kisser. _Oh, God_ I thought _how many women. . .?_ That was a disturbing notion, and I tucked it away for later deliberation.

He looked at me seriously and I could almost see the wheels in his head turning – to tell or not to tell? After a moment, he leaned close and said carefully, "I wouldn't normally tell a human this, Sookie, but I have been a vampire for over a millennium. It's hard to know exactly how many years; time gets away when you never age or never change at all." There was a note of sadness in his voice and I wondered how lonely it had to be, watching the people you knew die time and time again. It was unsettling to think that even _I_ would die long before he would.

Before long, I had finished my dinner and indulged in a piece of tiramisu. When the check came, I reached for my purse and offered to pay for my half. I wanted him to know I was an independent sort, and if he planned on being around for any amount of time – whether it was as a business colleague or _whatever_ – I figured it was better to get it out sooner rather than later. The look on his face about sent me into a fit of giggles, though, it was so scandalized.

"I invited you, Sookie, it is my treat," he said coolly, his gaze daring me to argue.

"You didn't _eat_ anything," I argued anyway. "At least let me pay for my dessert."

He shook his head and narrowed his eyes; I realized I was trying to listen to his thoughts. I was so used to being able to it was strange to only hear silence for an entire date. "I will not let you pay for anything. It's disgraceful and please believe me when I say that the check will set you back a lot more than it will me."

Now it was my turn to narrow my eyes. Did he just imply that I was poor? "I do just fine, thank you very much, Mr. Northman. I don't want for anything." Or much, anyway.

He rolled his eyes and groaned. "Are we back to the Misters and Misses, then? I didn't mean to insult you, Sookie; think about it – what have I had to do for the last 1000 years, but invest and collect money? I've got plenty to spare."

Of course he was right, but I'd never admit it to his face. His ego was plenty big from what I had seen. _I wonder if everything of his was so proportional?_ Holy cow, this vampire basically reduced me to a trembling mass of teenage girl. Finally, I nodded serenely; I knew when I had lost.

He smiled winningly. "Thank you, Sookie. It would have been quite a scene if I had to throw you over my shoulder kicking and screaming to get you out of here," he teased, winking. At least I think he was teasing.

He escorted me out very gentlemanly like, on his elbow, and to the car. He opened my door and helped me in – it was awfully hard to be ladylike having worn a skirt and sitting into bucket seats – and before I was buckled up, he was in his own seat. After looking thoughtful for a moment, he leaned over and asked, "Sookie, can I take you one more place? Somewhere a little more . . . private?" lowering his voice in a way that made my girly parts think naughty thoughts.

"What did you have in mind?" I responded, trying not to sound as breathless as he was making me.

"I know of a place between here and Bon Temps where we could park the car and look at the stars for a while. We could talk a little more. I'm not ready to let you go home, yet," he said with a little half-grin.

This vampire could be romantic; I had to give him that. "You'll take me home if I ask, right?" I asked when what I really meant was '_You won't take advantage of me, right?'_

He put his hand on my chin, making me look right into his blue eyes. "Do not fear me, Sookie. I will do nothing untoward. You have my word," he said solemnly.

I nodded, wondering at my sanity. I couldn't even run away from him if I wanted to, for crying out loud, but some part of me wanted to trust him. The lonely part, maybe? "Okay, Eric. Let's go." I could at least learn some more about vampires; _maybe you can get some more vampire kisses_ my brain added helpfully.

He really smiled then, happy I had shown some trust in him, I assumed. He started the car and we were off again, at the same alarming speed we had been going before. He really did drive too fast, but I tried to ignore the scenery flying by at a breakneck pace. Not too long after we'd left Bella Vista, he turned the car off the highway onto a small county road and then eventually he parked on the side of the road. Before he let me out of the car, he got a blanket out of the trunk. Thank goodness the ground was dry or I wouldn't have gotten anywhere in my heels.

He stopped me about ten feet from the car. "Do you trust me, Sookie?"

I looked up at him warily. "Not when you say it like that," I said. "Why?"

He paused for a moment then said, calm as he could be, "Because to get where I want to go, we're going to have to fly."

It took a moment for that to settle in my brain. He meant that _he_ would have to fly and _I_ would have to hold on for dear life. The phrase, "Are you freaking serious?" may have slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it. I wasn't afraid of heights, necessarily, but they weren't my best friend either.

He quirked an eyebrow at me. "Yes, I am freaking serious," he said without an ounce of humor. "It will be no problem to carry you if you'll let me. But you can't be nervous and twitchy or it'll be harder."

I laughed, nervous-and-twitchily, I was sure. "I weigh more than I look like I do," I warned him. I had curves, darn it. And Gran had seen to it that I was quite healthy, with all her home-cooked meals over the years.

He rolled his eyes and proceeded to pick me up, over the threshold style, before I could protest. I flung my arms around his neck and he leaned down and kissed me soundly. It was several moments before he pulled back. "Don't look down," he warned. "Just look at the stars."

Of course the first thing I did was look down. I was very proud of how well I took it – I only tightened my hold on his neck and squeaked a little. We were flying, all right. Not too high, maybe ten feet off the ground. _Don't be a sissy_, I chided myself, _he probably does this all the time_. That wasn't quite the right sentiment to make me feel totally better, but looking up at the stars did help. Thank God for a clear, Louisiana night; out here, away from the surrounding cities' lights, the sky was beautiful.

A few minutes later, he landed gently by a small pond in a clearing. He spread the blanket out and invited me to sit by him. I heeled off my shoes and sat down on my knees, taking in our surroundings. The trees loomed darkly about fifty feet away, and the moon – wouldn't be long before it was full – and stars reflected off the smooth water. "This is a beautiful place, Eric," I said honestly. "How often do you come here?" _How often do you bring women here?_

He grinned, making me think he knew my underlying question, and pulled me closer. "You are the first person I have brought here; I usually come here to think, or if Pamela annoys me."

I pulled back. "Pamela?"

"Oh. She is my lieutenant. And my only vampire child. And she prefers women," he explained quickly.

"Vampire child? Like, you made her into a vampire?" I asked.

He nodded. "About two hundred years ago. I couldn't bear the loneliness anymore, so I made myself a companion. She took very readily to her new life; we were lovers, for a time. But she very quickly realized that she prefers women to men, and I have not touched her since. The connection from maker to child is very intense; I imagine something like from mother to child for humans. She is the only one I trust fully, and I am the same for her."

It took a minute for this to absorb. "Does she work at your bar?" I asked, interested in meeting her. Was she like him at all?

He nodded again. "You will meet her, on Tuesday. I think once you know her, you will grow to like her."

I scooted back to him again and he put his arm around my shoulders, hugging me gently. "Tell me something else about yourself," I said curiously, snuggling into his side and resting my head on his shoulder.

"What would you like to know?"

I grinned up at him. "Everything."

He chuckled. "We do not have enough time before dawn for every detail," he said, then lowered his voice, "And I wanted to leave some time for kissing."

My heart was about to beat out of my chest. "Fine. For every one thing you tell me, you'll get one kiss," I bargained, knowing full well if he just started kissing me I wouldn't protest a bit.

"For every kiss I get, I will tell you one thing," he counter offered, the rise of one eyebrow daring me to resist.

I started to nod, and before I could get any words out, his lips crashed into mine. He kissed gently, at first, then with increasingly more heat. I found myself leaning over backwards until I was pressed into the blanket by his weight, our legs tangling together in much the same way our tongues were. If the stiff heat I felt pressed to my thigh was any indication, it seemed he _was_ in fact proportional in every way.

Eric propped himself up on his elbows above me and pulled back just a little. "I think you are beautiful, Sookie, and I have feelings for you, which is something that has not happened to me in a very long time. I am equally intrigued and frustrated about it," he whispered, nuzzling the soft place behind my ear and sliding his hips in an oh-so-suggestive way.

Not sure whether to be offended or flattered, I furrowed my eyebrows and said as much. He kissed me lightly. "I know you want me," he whispered, which caused more eyebrow furrowing on my part.

"How?" I asked breathlessly. _Other than the obvious_ I added mentally.

He grinned wryly. "My senses are keener than yours. I can hear your heartbeat very clearly, and right now it is quite accelerated. Your scent changes when you are aroused; it's sweeter almost. And right now you smell very sweet," he said softly into my ear.

I blushed fiercely, I know, which made him chuckle. "Are you saying that you can smell it if I am turned on?" I may just die of embarrassment. This means he knew the other night, and I had rambled on like an innocent school girl. _Oh God_.

He chuckled again. "I thought it best not to say on Wednesday night. I was afraid to tell you anything else; I did want to see you again." Then, when I tried to hide my face with my hands, he took them in his and stretched them above my head, holding them gently, and added, "Do not be embarrassed, Sookie. I know that humans view sex differently than vampires, but it is nothing to make you ashamed. It's your body's natural reaction." He placed one of my hands on his erection. "I am not ashamed that you arouse me."

_No need to be ashamed when you're packing that_ I thought. "Your fangs are not out," I observed. "You said that . . ." How in the world is my brain still functioning? The regions below my waist were definitely fighting for control.

"I do not wish to frighten you; I can control them with some concentration," he replied.

"I am not scared," I said boldly; only a shade bolder than I felt. His fangs slid out then, and I realized that I was in a very remote place with a being that could drain me dry and leave me in an instant. _But he gave you his word_ my brain reminded me.

"I will not hurt you, Sookie," he said quietly, leaving a trail of fiery kisses down my jawbone and onto my neck. Beginning to feel brave again, I rubbed him through the fabric of his slacks and he growled, a low rumble in his chest. His hands began to roam around my body, settling on my breasts; his mouth followed, kissing and teasing on the outside of my dress.

My hands surprised me by reaching up and untying the halter top of my dress. He touched the top of the zipper and looked to me for permission. I nodded after hesitating for only a fraction of a second. He pulled it down my body and deposited it at the corner of the blanket, then made quick work of my bra; he looked down at my scantily-clad body – how glad I was that I had opted for pretty panties at the last second – like I was the first woman he'd seen in ages.

"You, Sookie Stackhouse, are incredibly beautiful," he said throatily as he returned his attentions to my chest. I reached up shyly and started to undo the buttons on his shirt, and then the fly of his slacks when those were finished. He somehow managed to divest himself of most of his clothing and return to me almost before I missed him.

I knew that I wasn't ready for the whole show tonight, but my brain and body were too far gone to refuse a little fun. I read enough to know what happens in the in-between time, not to mention the thoughts I had heard about it. I sat up a little and he shifted off of me just enough for me to persuade us into the opposite positions. He looked more than a little surprised to find me sitting astride him. He raised his eyebrows in question and I grinned.

I leaned down to kiss him, doing my best to not be nervous. After a few moments, I started kissing down his body, running my fingernails lightly over the places I knew _I_ liked best – his flat stomach, the "v" of the muscles around his hips, his incredible ass. I eventually got to the place where his chest hair became a happy arrow pointing downwards, and, with only a little work, freed his erection from his silky boxers. I had not expected it to be _quite_ so big, but I'd already made it this far – no turning back now. Hoping I would do it right, I began by placing a soft, open-mouthed kiss at the tip and running my hand up and down the length slowly. I was rewarded by a deep growl and his hands clawing into the blanket underneath us.

I chanced a peek up at his face and found his blue stare locked on me. Feeling empowered, I kept my eyes on his as I lowered my mouth onto him slowly, and then back up again. I found my own rhythm after a minute and was happy to have him writhing under me before too long. After a while, he raised a hand to my face; "Sookie," he gasped, "I'm going to come."

I removed my mouth, but kept my hand working and set the other one to work slightly below. He grasped over to the side and covered himself with his undershirt just as he jerked in my hand and the rest of his muscles tightened. I removed my sticky hands and kissed his mouth softly. When he was finished wiping himself off, he gave me the t-shirt to wipe my hands on. After that, I crawled over to where my clothes were and picked up my bra.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm getting dressed," I answered. "I figured we'd head back, now that . . ." _I'd gotten you off_. It seems like that was how it worked from the thoughts I'd heard.

He raised his eyebrows. "We have several hours left until dawn, and don't you dare think I won't be returning the favor," he said, reaching his hand out to me. I crawled back into the crook of his arm.

"What do you mean?" I asked; I hadn't expected reciprocity.

He pushed me gently back until I was lying down again, and kissed me softly. His fangs slid out again and I could feel his erection beginning once more against my thigh. One of his hands slid sneakily between my legs and rubbed the thin fabric there; I almost moaned at the incredible friction it caused. "You get a taste, I get a taste," he said, a finger slipping suggestively underneath the fabric of my panties then darting to his mouth.

_Oh, Lordy. Can a woman die of spontaneous combustion?_

**Eric's POV**

I growled involuntarily when I tasted Sookie on my finger; her eyes widened and she gasped. I had been taken aback when her hot mouth had descended onto my dick – it was a very pleasant surprise, certainly. She had taken a few moments to really get into a rhythm, but – let's be honest – there's no _wrong_ way to do it. Then, once she had brought me to an amazing orgasm she had begun to dress again.

This confused me; I knew that she was a virgin, but I figured that growing up in the current time would have given her an impression of sexual relationships. Were human men so greedy? A pleased woman is a pleasing woman, I had learned long ago. And I planned on doing my fair share of pleasing tonight.

I kissed her lips again, relishing in her quick shallow breaths and her sweet smell, and then kissed my way down her body, pulling her red lacy panties down as I moved. I spent time at my favorite places of a woman's body – the breasts, the swell of the hips, the flat plane of her lower abdomen – before moving on to the best place. I had been touching and teasing during my detours elsewhere and Sookie was pushing against my fingers, practically begging for more.

Before I dipped my mouth into her slickness, I looked up her body to her eyes. "Look at me, Lover," I whispered and her blue eyes, darkened now with pleasure, snapped to mine. I smiled - a fangy predator's grin, I'm sure - then lowered my mouth to her succulent pussy. I took my time, enjoying myself almost as much as she was, licking languidly and sucking in all the right places. After a while, I felt her body start to tighten and convulse in that particular way, and added my fingers again to the equation; I had my tongue, lips, and fingers all working together – licking, touching, teasing, sliding – in perfect time. Sookie's hands were tangling in my hair, her body rising up off of the blanket I had laid down.

When her orgasm ignited, I kept my fingers going gently, and I nuzzled her inner thigh. I hadn't wanted to taste someone so badly in a very long time, but I held myself back – only smelling, licking softly. I felt her hands in my hair, caressing now instead of snarling. I looked up and met her eyes; she smiled. "Do you want to bite me?" she asked quietly, still catching her breath.

I nodded. "Very much." I was not normally so hesitant; I hoped she realized it and understood that it meant I respected her very much. I was also not used to waiting – for so long I had been able to demand anything I wanted – and of course that caused me to want to taste her blood even more. I lay down next to her, holding her close, and forced my fangs back into their least dangerous position.

"Would it turn me into a vampire?" she asked.

I shook my head and kissed her. "No. I would have to completely drain you and then fill you back up with my blood for that to happen."

"Does it hurt?"

"It can," I replied honestly. "I would do my best not to hurt you; I'm told it can be pleasurable, too, if done under the right conditions," I added, waggling my eyebrows a bit.

She blushed a little, then asked soberly, "Like what we just did?" her eyes beginning to darken like before.

I smirked. "Precisely like what we just did." And then I went on, "Or better things," in a whisper as I nibbled her ear a bit. "Did you enjoy yourself tonight, Miss Stackhouse?"

She turned up on her side and looked into my eyes. "Very much, Mr. Northman," she said formally, then grinned and pressed her lips to mine again. She ran one hand down my side and over onto my ass, squeezing it a bit; I mimicked her.

Another blush worked its way up to her face and I quirked an eyebrow in question. "I didn't think that I'd be . . ." she made a gesture that I assumed meant 'aroused,' "again so soon, after . . ."

I waggled my eyebrows. "That is my specialty, Lover."

She smirked at her new nickname and then looked up at me through her lashes. "Do we have time for . . ." she trailed off.

"Another round?" I supplied and she nodded. "It's only 1:00, Sookie. We've got five hours; well, make that three – I'll have to take you home and get back to Shreveport before dawn."

She kissed me again, the softness from before replaced by a persistent heat. She kissed down my throat, scraping me gently with her teeth – which made my fangs pop out before I could stop them – and her hands roaming aimlessly down my body. She began moving southward and pulled my boxers off this time. Right before she placed her lips around my cock again, I halted her with a word. "Wait."

She looked up at me with confusion on her face. "Turn this way," I replied, motioning with my hands, "So I can touch you." She started rotating and I guided her until she was straddling my shoulders; I received a questioning look from over her shoulder.

I grinned and then licked her wet folds in response. Her eyes widened and she turned back to her task. After a few minutes, the simultaneous feeling of her mouth on me and the taste of her in my own mouth had me ready to climax faster than I had the first time. I warned her and she shifted a little, keeping her hot hands on me working up and down. She began to climax soon after and as I continued to rub with my fingers, I licked the inside of her thigh again like before wishing I could taste her completely.

As she cried out in her ecstasy, she said, "Do it, Eric. It's okay."

Only wanting her to be certain, I took the few extra seconds to ask, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she moaned, her hand still pumping up and down on me and my fingers teasing her to keep her orgasm going.

Waiting until she peaked again, I turned slightly and bit into the soft flesh of her inner thigh. She only jerked a little when my fangs penetrated, but as I took the first draw of her sweet and salty blood, her muscles clenched around my fingers and she cried out, "Eric, oh!"

After hearing my name fall from Sookie's lips in pleasure, there was nothing holding me back either – I came into her hands and onto both of our stomachs. I took one more mouthful of her blood, and then pulled back; I licked the pinhole marks my fangs had left to close the wounds. She turned back around and flopped down beside me, laying an arm across my chest, her breath coming in shallow spurts.

She smiled sleepily and closed her eyes. "Are you all right?" I asked.

She nodded. "More than all right, I'd say," she said lazily, a corner of her mouth tucking in and her cheeks flushing a little.

I let her lay next to me for a few moments, until she caught her breath. I ran my hand down her side once more, wishing we had more time until dawn. "We must go, Lover," I said kissing her temple. "I have to get you home."

We dressed again after cleaning up as best as we were able – I left my undershirt off, of course – and she folded up the blanket. I could feel her blood coursing through my system and it was bothersome just how comforting I found it. The flight and subsequent drive to her home were uneventful. She fell asleep after we had been on the road about ten minutes and I grinned to myself. _Job well done, Viking_.

She awoke when we stopped in front of her house. I opened the car door for her and helped her out. She smiled drowsily, "Sorry I fell asleep, Eric."

I smirked. "It is only a testament to my skills, I think," I replied.

She rolled her eyes but couldn't stop herself from grinning. "I'll see you Tuesday?" she asked as we walked up the stairs to the porch.

"Yes. Can you be at Fangtasia at 9:00?" She nodded. "Good." I leaned close to her; we were at the door now, and I found myself hesitant to leave her.

She raised her face toward mine for a kiss which I gladly bestowed. "Good night, Eric," she whispered, still so close to me, "I had a lovely time, thank you."

I kissed her again, softly, then said, "You calling my name at the pond was plenty of thanks for me," before rocketing to my car and getting in before she could reply. I liked to have the last word. When I looked over at her one last time before driving away, she had an eyebrow cocked and a smirk on her face that said I would be paying for my remark.

Good. I could think of plenty of ways to relieve my debt.

* * *

**Well? What'd ya think?**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**Sookie's POV**

Looking back on it, I shouldn't have been surprised at Eric's parting remark. I already knew that he was full of himself and practically a sex god, and somehow I found him irresistible. When I had gotten my knees to stop weakening and my libido under control – which I managed faster than I thought I could – I shot him a look (or at least a look in the general direction of his car) that I hoped said _two can play that game, Mister_. And oh, how I wanted to play.

Gran was already in bed, so I showered and got into my own bed as quickly and quietly as I could. Once I had opened my bedroom window for the breeze and settled in comfortably, I thought back on my evening. It really had been lovely, like I'd said, but so much had been unexpected.

I was a little surprised at myself for letting him get so far. I blushed fiercely when I recalled that last maneuver we had done – it was definitely not ladylike, as far as I was concerned. Hopefully he didn't think I was a wanton hussy. _But it was so amazing_ said a voice in my brain, helpfully replaying the memory for me. Was it hot in here all of a sudden?

Well, I am 25. Plenty of people do worse than that on the first date, I'm sure. At least, I knew plenty of people who had _thought_ about having sex on the first date. Would I let him go all the way? Just thinking about having sex with Eric was enough to make my heart stutter and the region below my belt sit up and pay attention, but was I ready for it? At my age I had released the romantic notions of waiting for _the one_ and it being the _perfect moment_ or _perfect experience_, and was satisfied to let my virginity go when I found someone I liked, who liked me, and who would respect it.

Did he know I was a virgin? I'm sure it had been dreadfully obvious that I had never pleasured a man orally before, but that didn't necessarily mean I hadn't done anything. Is that something he could _smell_ too? I felt my brow furrow in some mixture of intrigue and discomfort. I learned more every time I saw him that emphasized the fact that he was, indeed, no longer human. Something else to think about, that.

My brain was cycling through things to think about at a rapid rate – _how many women? Eric naked. The business meeting Tuesday night. Eric's tongue in my . . . between my legs. The interesting soreness in my left inner thigh _– and my sleepy body just couldn't keep up. I filed many of them under 'To Think About Later' and some under 'To Think About Often,' and drifted sleepily off for the night.

On Monday, I did the few errands Gran needed me to run so I could be out of touch on Tuesday – groceries, mowing the lawn – and went to work, cheerful as I could be. I think that Gran suspected something had happened between Eric and me (and, boy had it – I shivered in memory), but she didn't ask so I didn't tell. When I dropped my purse off in Sam's office (he kept a drawer of his desk empty just for us barmaids), Sam grilled me for a few minutes about my date with Eric. He seemed unhappy about me seeing a vampire, but last I checked, he had no say over who I dated.

My tips that night were good, probably due to my jubilant mood, which made me even happier. I drove home after my shift – it was late, about 1:00 – and walked in to find Gran at the dining table waiting up for me, as usual. After greeting me, she said, "Your friend Eric called tonight, Sookie. He said to call him back no matter what time you got home."

I nodded and my stomach fell. Was he canceling? "Thank you, Gran," I said, hoping I wouldn't show my nervousness. "I guess I'll call him back before I go take a shower."

She got up, walking out toward the living room. "Good night, dear. I'll give you some privacy."

I smiled at her and then went to the phone. "Fangtasia, the bar with a bite," answered the same female, bored voice I had encountered last time.

"Hi, this is Sookie Stackhouse. I'm calling for Eric," I said more confidently than I felt.

"Sookie," the voice on the other line said thoughtfully. "I hear you gave my Master quite a good time last night. I'm ever so thankful – he's much easier to work for when he's been laid." She said it so frankly, I wasn't sure if she was mocking me or not. I knew for sure that I was a dark shade of red and getting darker by the second. "Here he is," she said after a moment.

"Hello, Lover," Eric said in a low voice that gave me goose bumps.

"Eric have you been talking about what we did last night to _everyone_?" I asked, horrified.

He sighed. "No, my beautiful Sookie. That was only Pamela. She will be sorry for that stunt later, I guarantee it. She is the only being I told."

That mollified me, mostly. At least enough for my blood to drain back to other parts of my body instead of pooling in my cheeks. "You called earlier?"

"Yes. I was thinking – we may not be done until very early morning with our meeting tomorrow night. I would like to offer you lodging so you do not have to drive while you are sleepy."

That was unexpected. "Oh, don't worry about it, Eric. I'm not working until the late shift and I would sleep better in my own bed." Was he asking me to stay the night with him?

"I've already rented the hotel room, Sookie. I hoped you wouldn't refuse."

I wavered for a moment. To stay or not to stay? Staying would undoubtedly give me more time with Eric, but was it too soon? When in doubt, compromise. "How about we see how long the meeting takes and then decide?" I offered.

"You drive a hard bargain, Sookie Stackhouse," he answered, "But I suppose that is better than nothing."

I grinned. "Thanks for understanding. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I cannot wait, Lover," he said again in that low, seductive way he had.

Just before I hung up, I jerked the phone back to my ear. "Wait!"

"Yes, Lover?" he asked.

"What should I wear? I've never been to a vampire meeting before."

"I prefer you naked to clothed," he replied, then disconnected. A lot of help he was. I rolled my eyes and huffed as I hung the phone up, then went to get ready for bed. Well, I _had_ wondered if thinking about how much I loved his bluntness would come back to bite me in the butt. _Maybe he'll bite you somewhere else_, my brain supplied as I got into my bed. Why was it so hot in my room these days?

I had dubbed Tuesday as 'Meeting Day' in my head, and it had finally arrived. I slept in nice and late so I wouldn't be drowsy later, and took my time getting ready. I soaked in the bathtub for a while and then took a hot shower, showing more care in shaving my legs than I had in a long time. I meticulously rubbed in my favorite body cream, a citrusy number called _Optimism_. I blew my hair dry and then curled it slowly, laying it _just_ _so_. The hard part was deciding what to wear – I _knew _that I wouldn't take Eric's advice – because I wanted to look nice for the meeting, but also . . . enticing for Eric.

I finally decided on a white sundress with a yellow flower pattern covered with a summer-appropriate bright yellow cardigan. It was nice, but it also showed off my figure. I finished off my outfit with yellow peep-toe pumps and a small purple handbag. Tara had sworn to me that yellow and purple were perfect together when she had pushed those two items toward me at her store. I took her word for it.

I warned Gran that my meeting may last a while and Eric had secured me a hotel room in case I needed to stay, then got into my car with my overnight bag and drove the hour to Shreveport. Eric had given me meticulous directions, so finding Fangtasia was no problem and I got there with 15 minutes to spare. I found a parking spot – harder to do than I had figured for a Tuesday night – and went to the front door.

There was a vampire standing ready to ID people at the door. She was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. She was about my height and had a lovely figure with long, pale, stick-straight blonde hair and dark blue eyes. Her fingernails were painted crimson red and she was wearing a black and red bustier and black leather miniskirt with knee-high boots that had stiletto heels so high I almost tripped just looking at them. I smiled nervously as I approached her.

"Don't you look good enough to eat," she said, quirking an eyebrow. "Can I see your ID?"

"Um, sure," I replied, fumbling around in my bag for it. After I managed to locate it, I handed it over.

"You're Sookie Stackhouse?" she asked, her voice still flat. I wondered if this must be the famous Pamela.

I felt my crazy smile slip onto my face and answered cheerfully, "The one and only." Maybe a little too cheerfully. "Are you Pam?"

A corner of her perfectly rouged lips twitched upward a tiny bit. A smile, maybe? "Yes, I am Pamela Ravenscroft." She looked me up and down again. "My Master speaks of you often. I hope you are not stupid, because if you double-cross him you will answer to me," she said fiercely, her eyes flashing.

I lowered my eyes for a moment; did she inherit her bluntness from Eric? Did it work that way with vampire children? I raised my gaze to hers again. "Stupidity has never been one of my features," I said boldly – this did not seem like the time to cower. "No more than it has ever been one of yours, I imagine."

This time one side of her mouth definitely tucked in, making a cute half-grin. "Sexy _and_ feisty. I may be able to tolerate you after all." She motioned me by. "Eric is seated in his throne – you will not be able to miss him."

"Thanks," I said as I walked by. The incredible onslaught of thoughts as I entered the dark club surprised me – it seemed like Eric had a club full of thought projectors. Many of them were thinking of him and what they'd like him to do with him – I inwardly cringed at the lewdness of it all. _There's a limit, people!_ Pam was right, though, there was no way I would have missed him.

There was a raised platform at one end of the club, and he was sitting in a large gold and red-velvet adorned chair. His hair was sweeping over his shoulders and as soon as I spotted him, his eyes locked on mine. He was wearing much the same thing as when I had first met him that night in Merlotte's. How could someone make a t-shirt and jeans look so damn good? I approached him slowly, through the tangle of bodies. It seemed like I was the only person dressed in something other than black.

"My Lover," he said when I reached him. "You look delicious tonight."

I grinned. "It seems I didn't get the memo about wearing black."

He took my hand and pulled me into his lap, pressing a kiss to my neck. "You look beautiful. Our meeting will start shortly – we are waiting on a few parties."

I nodded and met his eyes again. "Should I be worried about the meeting?"

He shook his head. "Although, if you accept the position, my colleague already has a human matter to be resolved. Apparently, a vampire in her area was staked during daylight, and she'd like to get to the bottom of it. I suspect you'll be needed by the weekend."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What if I find out who is doing it?" For all I knew, they would become dinner.

"Then they will be reported to the appropriate authorities."

"And by that you mean the police, right, and not the dinner crew?" I asked with an edge to my voice.

He laughed humorlessly. "The days of eating our problems are over, Sookie. For my business to be successful, I must deal with humans in the accepted manner which, yes, would be the police." At least he was honest. Creepy maybe, but honest. That's all I could ask for, I guess.

"What if it was arranged by a vampire? You know I can't hear vampire thoughts." But sometimes I'd pay good money to hear his. Like now.

"If it is a vampire, then you must not worry your head about it. We have our own justice system," he said coolly. "If a vampire in my territory is foolish enough to steal from me, they deserve what they will get."

_You're out of your league with this, barmaid_ I thought. "Fair enough." There was no way I could stop him, no matter what he decided to do. Just then another vampire approached us. He was tallish, not as tall as Eric, but taller than me. He had dark hair that was on the long side and dark eyes. He was handsome in a rugged way, and wore a collared shirt with khaki pants.

"Northman," he said and bowed his head slightly.

"Compton," Eric replied, and then gestured toward me. "This is Miss Stackhouse, the woman I mentioned. Sookie, this is Bill Compton."

I nodded slightly toward him – I had figured out vampires weren't much for handshaking – and he nodded back. "I believe that I live close to you, Miss Stackhouse. Across the old cemetery."

"Please, call me Sookie. Eric mentioned you might be living in the old Compton place. How long have you been in Bon Temps?"

He smiled, a little. "I just came back about ten days ago. It is very nice to stay in my old home. I am hoping to fix it back up a little," he replied conversationally. Wait. A _conversational _vampire? That was a new one on me. We continued chatting until Eric patted my leg.

"It is time for the meeting," he interjected between statements. "Let's go back to my office."

I followed Eric back through the crowd to a hallway that led toward the back of the building. His office was the first door on the left. It was spacious, with a large desk in one corner and several chairs scattered about. Pam was already seated in the chair closest to the desk. Eric motioned for us to sit and in a few minutes we were joined by another female vampire who had long, dark hair and a pretty face. She was introduced to me as Felicia and I recognized her as the bartender.

"Sookie," Eric began, "as you know, we are having this meeting to discuss the terms of a position under my colleague, Sophie-Anne Leclerq." I was listening intently. I didn't want to do something stupid. "She had this proposal drawn up," he continued, sliding a piece of paper across his desk to me, "but it is open for negotiation. Please look over it and tell me what you think."

I scanned over the top part – mostly details about what I would be doing. After I'd spent my entire life disguising my disability it seemed so weird that my job title would be _Telepath_. Toward the bottom, it became more interesting. The salary provided almost made my jaw drop – it was almost three times what I made at Merlotte's in a year and that was including tips. There would be benefits, after a two month probationary period, and I would be provided with transportation for my assignments. Was it too good to be true?

I quickly thought of some things that I would need that weren't provided. There was no maximum amount of assignments I could do in a given period of time – that made me wonder if this Sophie-Anne character planned for me to relocate permanently. After all, if I was doing an assignment a day, why would I drive back to Bon Temps? Another was a guarantee that humans I contacted on behalf of Sophie-Anne, guilty or not, were dealt with in the proper means. Even if I suspected that Eric was being truthful about his methods of dealing with humans (at least mostly), I didn't know this colleague of his at all. Would she feel equally obliged to be fair?

All of the vampires except Eric seemed surprised when I asked these questions. I may not have been able to go to college (hormonal teenagers had been a trial, could you imagine _co-eds_?), but I'm not stupid. I also wondered aloud how being so involved with supernatural creatures would affect my life. Would I be safe? Would _Gran_ be safe? Could I ever decide to quit?

Eric's eyes flashed with some kind of emotion – I couldn't quite pick it out. "Sookie, let me be clear," he said. "As an employee of Sophie-Anne, every vampire under her will be obligated to see to your protection. This includes me and all of the vampires who owe me fealty. If you ever decide you want out, all you will have to do is say the word."

I nodded slowly. Was I sure? We negotiated the other terms I had mentioned, adding clauses for treatment of humans (the proper way) and maximum number of assignments (10 per month with a minimum of 2). I tried to get Eric to lower the salary due to the stipulations we'd added but he refused. Were my days at Merlotte's coming to an end? It was certainly beginning to feel that way.

"Okay, Eric," I said finally. "I am willing to have a trial period. We can reevaluate everyone's feelings about this after the 2 month probation. Is that fair?"

He nodded, eyes flashing again. "Absolutely."

I sat back in my chair, satisfied for now. "Do you need anything else from me?"

He leered a little, but replied, "I would like to speak with you a little about the vampire hierarchy system, since you'll be involved in it. That is why Pam, Bill, and Felicia are here." I nodded and wondered if I should take notes as he continued to explain that the country was split into kingdoms, that Sophie-Anne (my new boss, as it were) was the Queen of Louisiana, and that each kingdom was split into smaller areas overseen by sheriffs.

Eric turned out to be the Sheriff of Area 5, which explained the 'my area' comments, anyway. Pam was his Lieutenant, or his second. Felicia had been around a while, so she was a trusted member of Eric's entourage and also co-owner of Fangtasia with Pam and Eric. Bill was the newest member of importance. After this complicated explanation, I wasn't sure whether to laugh (the _Queen_ of Louisiana? Give me a break) or not. Leave it to vampires to create their own feudal system; it seemed so high-handed. I decided to nod serenely, just in case.

"Bill has already been given instructions, Sookie, if you are in harm's way or need any kind of assistance that he is to be available at a moment's notice. I am counting on his close proximity to you to be helpful if I cannot come in time." I cast a smile Bill's way; it was nice to know I had a strong neighbor.

We all chatted for a few minutes more; well, I chatted. The vampires mostly nodded or narrowed their eyes. Eric finally dismissed Bill and Felicia. He spoke with Pam for a few moments about Area business and then dismissed her as well. Our meeting hadn't even lasted two hours, so there was plenty of time for me to drive home – I was barely sleepy. I made to get up and leave but was stilled by the look on Eric's face.

"Are you anxious to leave, Sookie?" he asked quirking a brow. "I was hoping I could persuade you to stay."

It was hard to know exactly what I was feeling. One part of me wanted this night to go much the same as the previous one I had spent with Eric (this was the part mostly below my waist), but on the other hand, we had just finished a serious business deal that would affect my life greatly. I wasn't sure whether he was the amorous vampire or the business-like one tonight, or even if it mattered. I also had this weird feeling about having moved so fast before. I didn't even know if he was screwing girls from the bar on the side – there had been plenty on the dance floor that wanted the chance, that's for sure. I didn't want to be just one girl in a line of many for anyone.

Eric must have seen the wheels in my head turning, because he got up and came around the desk to take my hands. "Why don't you come out and have a drink and then decide, Lover?" he asked, kissing my forehead.

I nodded. Just one drink couldn't hurt. We walked back out into the bar and sat down in an empty booth in the back. A waitress zipped over with a TrueBlood for Eric as soon as were seated. I ordered a gin and tonic – my drink of choice when I imbibed, which wasn't very often. I'd seen too many people get lost in their drink at Merlotte's.

Eric sat back and surveyed the room. "What are they thinking about?"

"You. Sex. Or some combination of those," I replied quietly, thankful for the drink that had just been delivered. I swirled my glass around, trying desperately not to ask him if the pictures I was getting were memories or fantasies; it's hard to tell the difference sometimes.

He reached across the table and took my chin in his hand, lifting it up until I met his eyes. "You seem troubled, Sookie." I tried to smile and deny it but my smile turned into a smirk. "What is it?" he prompted, looking at me intently and moving his hand to cover my free one.

Many things ran through my head: _I don't know what you want from me; I really like you and it freaks me out; I'm afraid I'll give you whatever you ask of me_. The thing that came out of my mouth was, "I'm not easy, you know." Why couldn't I control my speech around this vampire?

A corner of his mouth tucked in. "I know, Sookie."

I had started and I couldn't stop. I couldn't look him in the eyes, either. "I don't know what you expect from me, Eric. I don't know if you took me on a date to help Sophie-Anne's chances of hiring me or if it's because you really like me; I won't know if you're being truthful the way I do with normal men, either. I don't know how many women you call Lover every day or if I'm the only woman you are being with. I don't know if you want to keep dating me and if you do, I'm not sure what _I'll_ say because I'm afraid of falling for you. Which I feel like I might be doing, ridiculous as it is to say that after knowing you for only a week."

Eric was grinning now. "You are falling for me?" he said, a sparkle in his eyes. Leave it to him to concentrate on the _last_ thing I said. I rolled my eyes. He patted my hand and leaned close to whisper, "Sookie, your suspicions are not without merit. I have been known to combine business with pleasure when it is to my benefit. In fact, I have made a lot of money that way." Tears pricked in the corners of my eyes, but he continued. "That being said, I can tell you that my interest in you is much more than concern for Sophie-Anne's bottom line. I told you Sunday night that I had feelings for you. I think you are an intelligent and interesting and beautiful woman."

I managed to blink back the moisture in my eyes enough to look up at him, finally. The look on his face was very sincere; his brow was furrowed just a bit in emphasis and his blue eyes had many emotions dancing around in them, but he smirked a little when he added, "I do not think you are naïve, Sookie, and I will not lie and say that you are the only woman I have ever been with or even the only woman I have been with this _month_, but I want you to know that you _are_ the only woman now and you have been since the night I met Adele. I have not had the blood of any other woman, either." I blushed at that memory, and he chuckled quietly. "You are the only woman that I call Lover, Sookie. I would like to keep it that way, if you will let me."

What he said turned over in my mind for a few seconds. I could not have expected him to be chaste before he met me, certainly. "How long has it been?" Curiosity killed the cat, you know. Did I really want to know the answer to that question?

He shrugged a little as if to show it hadn't been so long he couldn't handle it, and then said, "I fucked a woman the night I met you. I do not remember her name, only that she was the closest thing to you that I could get. The women that I had after that were only for blood." He smirked. "I've been better friends with my right hand lately than I have been in a very long time."

_You LOVE his honesty, remember_? my brain taunted. "So where do we go from here?" I asked, finishing off my drink.

"Well hopefully we go to Moon Called, the hotel where I made your reservation," he answered, waggling his eyebrows.

"Moon Called?"

"It is a vampire-safe hotel here in Shreveport. The rooms are very nice and also light-tight. It just opened a few months ago."

"But I'm not a vampire," I protested, just wondering what he would say. How presumptuous that he would be staying with me; I had to at least make him work for it a little!

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Yes, I know."

"So why would I need a vampire safe room?"

"I never said it was a vampire safe room. Only a vampire safe hotel." He paused. "Will you need to be keeping a vampire safe?"

Busted. I laughed, then started scooting out of the booth. "Maybe. If he's lucky," I said and started walking toward the door. Eric got up to follow me. He trailed me all the way to my car; I waved goodbye to Pam on my way out and she blew me a kiss. I had a feeling Pam and I were going to get along just fine.

As I was unlocking my car door (my car is old and I don't have a remote system), Eric leaned against the vehicle and ran a hand down my back to my waist. "May I accompany you, Lover?" he asked softly.

Before he'd even asked, I knew I would say yes. Who _knew_ what else I would say yes to tonight. "Let's go."


	8. Chapter 8

_a/n Hey everybody! I really suck at remembering this A/N thing sometimes - I meant to add one to the last chapter as a disclaimer. Moon Called - the name of the hotel - is actually a nod at a Patricia Briggs novel that's super good. Look it up!_

_a/n Also, thanks to the awesome Northwoman for being an incredible beta! And thanks to the readers who keep reviewing (even the uber-honest ones :-) ) because reading them makes me smile and laugh and then sit down and write some more! Sorry I haven't been responding to them as much lately - I do read them, I promise!_

_a/n Finally, these amazing characters belong to Ms. Charlaine Harris, and not me. I'm just doing an experiment with them.  
_

Chapter 8

**Eric's POV**

I couldn't believe my luck, getting her to agree to a whole night with me in a hotel room. I checked my rearview mirror for the thirty-second time (perfect recall is good for counting) to make sure she was still behind me. As much as I had wanted to whisk her away in the 'Vette, logic prevailed. I knew she would need to leave earlier than I would be alive again, forcing me to let her depend on herself. I hated that. In my time as a human – and the last time I had felt a hint of the feelings stirring themselves for Sookie, if I was honest – men took care of their women and were proud to do it.

Speaking of taking care of my woman, I had noticed the slight change in Compton's demeanor when he met Sookie. She smelled delicious – the innocence was alluring – and I would undoubtedly make sure he understood that she was mine. At least as soon as I was totally confident. Which is another thing that irked me; I am Eric the Northman – self doubt is no longer in my Rolodex of useful states of mind. It hadn't been until I met a certain enticing blonde, anyway. Forty glances now, but who was counting?

Even though I could despise how she made me feel – like I was finding my feet again – I was also amazed by her. She was headstrong and courageous; the moment she slapped my face at the shifter's bar had made that obvious. But as much as she was bold, she was soft and loving. That had been clear the night I met Adele. The emotions that I could sense in that room were flowery and cheerful, from both women. She had been raised well and met her challenges with moxie. I admired that in any being, but especially in a fragile, curvy human casing.

We pulled into the hotel front and the valet met me at the door. I paid for my car and Sookie's, then waited until she got out of her car to make my way inside. I checked us in and tucked Sookie's hand in the crook of my arm to escort her to the elevator. We were staying in the Presidential Suite on the very top floor of the building; the security in this building was very tight – one of the reasons it was allowed to continue, of course – with a footman on every elevator and roaming guards on almost every floor. We had to use our key cards to even reach the twelfth floor, and the elevator opened right up into the suite. If I had been on normal business, I would have situated a guard next to the elevator, but I wasn't expecting trouble on this trip – and I am very good at anticipating trouble.

Sookie's eyes widened as we stepped inside the suite. "This is almost as big as my house, Eric!" she exclaimed, taking in the sitting room in which we stood. The furniture was rich and luxurious; overstuffed chairs and sofas were arranged artfully around the large LCD TV, a more conversationally-inclined arrangement surrounded the fireplace. I nodded to myself in approval, _Good choice, Viking_.

I slipped Sookie's overnight bag from her slackened hand and walked through the sitting room and into the bedroom. She followed a little more slowly, her eyes sweeping all around to take it in. The bedroom was just as magnificent. The king-sized sleigh bed was high and looked soft, there was a large dresser and mirror placed opposite (I resisted waggling my eyebrows at the lucky placement of the mirror) and a distinguished desk in the corner. I set her bag down on the dresser and motioned her over to me.

She came to stand in front of me and let me slip the cardigan from her shoulders. "Are you very tired, Lover?" I asked. I hoped not, although I would be a perfect gentleman if she answered affirmatively. At least mostly.

She shook her head. "I slept in really late," she admitted, then narrowed her eyes and glared at me. "I can't believe you rented a whole suite for me! That's ridiculous!"

"I disagree," I replied, leaning down to kiss the place below her ear that makes her pulse race, "Because I did it in the hopes some poor vampire soul would benefit from that big, soft bed."

She giggled. "You're so full of yourself."

I traced my tongue around her ear then whispered, "You could be full of me, too," before I vanished into the bathroom to begin filling the large-enough-for-two (even if one of those two was me) whirlpool tub. The smell of her arousal and the huff of embarrassment were plenty payment for me.

She stuck her head around the doorframe. "That disappearing thing is annoying, you know."

"You're only upset because you didn't get the last word," I retorted, checking the water temperature one more time. "Now come here so I can remedy the blasphemy of covering your gorgeous body."

She rolled her eyes, but she was grinning and walking toward me. Where was the bashful maiden of Sunday night? Good riddance, I say. When she was close enough, I pulled her in for a kiss and began to unzip her dress. Gods help me; I loved touching her skin almost as much as I loved tasting her. I pushed the straps of her dress off her shoulders and it pooled on the floor. Sookie looked up at me through her eyelashes.

"Um, Eric?"

"Yes, Lover?" I was kissing down her throat now, her strong pulse like a siren's song.

"I, um. I'm a virgin." Oh gods, this delectable woman. "I didn't know if you could tell, or not."

I nodded as I reached around to unsnap her bra. "Keener senses, remember?" I said quite throatily as I began to explore the bounty her bra had surrendered. These breasts were perfection.

I felt the heat rush to her face, but she continued, "I'm not sure if I'm ready. . ."

I looked up to meet her eyes and replied sincerely, "You just have to say if it's too much, Sookie. I will stop if you ask," before returning to my task. I licked and sucked and tweaked and pinched until I had her nipples standing erect, just as I wanted them. She whimpered and leaned into me, her hands wrapping in my hair and pulling me closer. I slid my hands lower and pushed her panties down over her hips. My fangs slid out of their own accord when the smell of her uncovered arousal wafted to my face and I found myself taking a deep, involuntary (and totally unnecessary) breath.

"That's the problem, Eric," she almost moaned, continuing to press me into her breasts. "I don't know if I _can_ say no."

Damn chivalry. It was the wrong century and region for me anyway – I was a pillager! Damn my better judgment and fuck my better control! _Fuck her!_ screamed my instincts and the animal inside. Luckily, you don't get to be over a millennium old by caving to cravings. I had just enough control left to pull away and stop the water, like it was planned. "Get in, Sookie, it's nice and warm."

She gave me a slightly puzzled look, but hitched one leg over into the water to test it. She climbed in and sank into the warm water, giving a contented sigh. My cock twitched at the sight of her, wet and slippery all over. "Aren't you going to join me?" she asked softly. _Only if you want to be pillaged tonight_.

I smirked. "I will in a moment." _When I can put the Viking in me to rest. _I grabbed the body sprayer and motioned for her to lean over. I turned the water back on and began to wet her hair. I distracted myself by giving her the best scalp massage and shampoo in the history of the universe.

Deciding that I was calm enough again after I rinsed her hair, I undressed and crawled into the tub facing her. We spent a few moments just looking at each other before she finally sat up on her knees and crawled over to kiss me. "I'm sorry," she whispered softly, so soft I wouldn't have even heard it except for my superior senses.

I caught her chin in my hand and forced her to look me in the eyes. "Never be sorry for respecting yourself, Sookie." Then, before she thought I was being too serious, I waggled my eyebrows and gave her a little leer, "Besides, there is plenty of other fun stuff we can do." That will leave me aching for more. _It's you and me old friend, old pal_ I thought toward my right hand. She would be worth it, I was still sure.

She laughed and rolled her eyes. "Like talking?" she teased.

"Absolutely," no beats missed here. I leaned in close, nipping her ear and trailing kisses around her pulse, then whispered, "Or kissing." She smiled. "And licking." A little shudder as I outlined her ear with my tongue. "And touching," I concluded, sneaking a finger into her folds for just a moment, receiving a gasp as my reward.

I slid my finger higher, rubbing across her clit, when she whispered back, "You forgot one."

"I did?" My fingers had minds of their own, sliding and teasing.

She nodded, her eyes darkening slightly and her heart picking up its pace. I quirked a brow in query and kept my fingers working; she was getting close. Just as she began to clench around my hand, she moaned, "Biting."

I heard myself growl, low in my chest and my fangs sprang to attention once more. My cock was throbbing. I shifted her just a bit so I wouldn't be tempted to impale her on my rigid erection and turned my attention to her neck. I kissed, I licked, I scraped my fangs on her gently. "Did you like it when I bit you, Sookie?" I practically growled. Why was I torturing myself?

She was coming again, her muscles tightening around my fingers once more. "Oh, yes," she moaned. I couldn't wait anymore. I _had _to taste her. I picked her up and got out of the tub, grabbing a towel on my way to the bedroom. I set her down lightly beside the bed and quickly ran a towel over her body and mine.

As soon I dropped it to the floor, she was on me again, lips, hands, tongue, pressing her body to mine. I helped her sit on the edge of the bed and stepped between her thighs, causing my dick to come precariously close to her radiating heat. _Bad idea, Viking!_ Quickly, I dropped to my knees and pulled her legs up over my shoulders. She leaned back on her elbows, her eyes smoldering as she looked down at me. I flicked her clit once with the tip of my tongue and she shuddered. "Do you want me to bite you again, Lover?" I asked, letting my breath tease her wetness. I could spend all night with my face in her pussy. I wanted to.

Slowly, deliberately, she nodded. My heart would have stopped dead in its tracks if it had still been beating; this woman was tormenting me and she didn't even realize it! I licked her again, sliding two fingers of one hand inside of her and my other hand to my aching cock. She kept her eyes locked with mine as I greedily sought her flavors, licking and sucking. She pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth and moaned.

I kept working, fingers and mouth in tandem, until she peaked again – my name pouring from her lips like honey. I turned my head and bit into the soft flesh of her inner thigh and heard her cry my name again. I growled in my throat as I drank her blood and reached my own peak, coming onto my own stomach and hand. I allowed myself one more mouthful, and then pulled back, licking the puncture wounds to heal them.

Sookie collapsed back onto the bed, her eyes closed and a smile haunting her lips. I wiped myself off with the towel I had brought then laid beside her. After she caught her breath, I whispered into her ear, "You are delicious, Sookie," predicting the flush that would steal into her cheeks. I grinned when she opened an eye to look at me. "I could get used to this."

A corner of her mouth tucked in. "Aren't you already used to it?"

"Not like this."

She rolled up on her side to face me, propping up on an elbow. "What's different?"

"I am not sure," I answered honestly. "You make me feel like I have not felt in over 1000 years."

"Like a horny teenager?" she laughed.

I rearranged us to be the right way on the bed, pulling the covers down, then back up when we were under them. Her heart was slowing and her breath was steadying – she would be asleep in no time. "No, Lover," I whispered as I snuggled her closer to me. "Like a man."

There she went – what was that phrase Pam had learned? Out like a light.

**Sookie's POV**

I awoke slowly, cuddled into Eric's side. I didn't know what time it was, but when I looked up at him, his eyes were closed and his jaw was slack. Must be after dawn. It was a little creepy – he really did seem dead because his chest wasn't moving at all; not that it ever did, really. I lifted his heavy arm off of me and rolled to the edge of the bed to get up. The clock on the bedside table said 10:35. He had really worn me out!

Propped next to the clock was a note on the hotel's stationary. It read: _My Sookie, I hope that I can see you again soon. Please feel free to order room service before you go, this room is courtesy of Sophie-Anne. I will call you if I hear of any arrangements from the Queen. Please think of me today, especially my mouth; it will be lonely until it touches you again. ~E._

I rolled my eyes and tried to ignore the fluttering in my stomach. Just like him to be naughty. Since this was technically a business trip, I didn't feel bad about pulling out the room service menu and ordering breakfast, although I still ordered the cheapest thing on the menu. I showered while I waited, then wrapped up in the luxurious robe to eat the breakfast that had been left in the sitting room. Fried eggs, sausage, toast, and fresh-squeezed orange juice. A girl could get used to this.

I pulled on the jean shorts and tank top that I had packed, and straightened up the room as best I could before I left Eric a note of his own propped where mine had been. Try as I might, though, I couldn't think of anything naughty to say that didn't just sound cheesy, so I just wrote that I'd had a great time and was looking forward to hearing from him again. Then, I left for home. I had to be at Merlotte's at four and I wanted to talk to Gran about my business prospects.

Gran was working on quilt squares when I came in. I set my bag down in my bedroom, walked my dirty laundry to the back porch to throw it in the washer, and then sat down across from her, pulling my legs up with me. "How did your meeting go, Sookie?" she asked without looking up.

"It went really well, Gran. I agreed to work for them for a two month probationary period. I met three more vampires – Eric's Lieutenant, Pam, the bartender at Fangtasia, Felicia, and our new neighbor, Bill Compton. Eric said that Bill had been instructed to help us if we ever needed it; he seemed nice."

"What are the terms of your business deal?" she asked.

"Well, I'll have no less than two assignments a month, but no more than ten. I didn't want to have to move anywhere. They will provide transportation and an escort for all of my assignments, no matter where they are. I'll have benefits if I agree to keep going past two months and the salary was outrageous."

Her brows lifted. "Outrageous how?"

"It was too much, but Eric wouldn't let me negotiate it lower. I thought that it should be per assignment or something, but he insisted."

"It seems like Eric is really looking out for you, Sookie," she observed.

"I know. He's very interesting, to say the least."

"How do you feel about him?" Gran was never one for mincing words.

"I don't know yet. I really like him, but there's so much I still don't know."

"I think he would treat you right, dear. I get a good feeling from him."

I smiled and wondered how Eric would feel to know he got the Gran stamp of approval. He'd probably waggle his eyebrows and ask when he would get mine, too. Gran and I talked a little while longer. I've always appreciated our talks like this one; there was no way I could be far from her – she's my mother, father, and best friend.

When I asked her what she thought about me quitting Merlotte's in favor of this other opportunity, she smiled in that way grandmothers do and said that she was confident I'd make the right decision. "I've always thought you could get out of this small town and do good with your ability, Sookie," she said, "but I also know that you do a great deal of good right here in Bon Temps with your cheerful demeanor and positive attitude. You'll always be needed, wherever you go or whatever you do. You have to decide what's best for your heart." I rolled that over in my mind for a minute. _For my heart_ and not _for myself_. What did that mean?

But, the time for talking was over because unless I wanted to Sam to _fire_ me, I needed to get myself to work. I had been hoping that Sam was out in the bar instead of in his office when I arrived, but no such luck. I could have sworn that he took in a deep breath just as I leaned past him to put my purse in the desk drawer. I shot him a puzzled look, but he just looked away.

"You seeing that vampire still, Sookie?" he asked, his voice laced with some emotion I couldn't quite read. I couldn't pick it out of his head like I could most people – his thoughts were normally hazy and hard to decipher. Maybe that's why I had been able to work for him for so long.

I nodded. "_That vampire's_ name is Eric, Sam. He's very nice to me."

"Yeah, I'll bet," he muttered under his breath.

"What was that you said, Sam Merlotte? If you've got something to say to me, say it to my face like a man," I said heatedly, poking his shoulder for emphasis.

He stood up quickly, almost too quickly for me to get out of the way. "How can you be sure he's nice to you, Sookie? He's probably just glamouring you so he can get what he wants!" Sam exploded in my face, his face contorting with his fervor.

I rolled my eyes. Typical. "Thanks for noticing that I'm quite a catch, Sam," I replied sarcastically. "Glamour doesn't work on me, for the record. But don't you think that just because he showed up one day I'm more than happy to jump into bed with him."

"His smell is all over you," he said severely, but then his face closed up like he'd said something he shouldn't. It took a minute for me to connect the dots. Eric's smell was on me? But I'd taken a shower . . .

"What did you say?"

He made a dismissive gesture with his hands. "Nothing, cher. I just worry about you."

"Don't play that 'I didn't say anything' game with me. Did you say I _smelled _like Eric?"

He made a frustrated humph. "Have you ever listened to my thoughts, Sookie?"

"What? No! You're my boss, Sam – I don't do it on purpose and I damn sure try to avoid it! What does that have to do with you _smelling_ Eric on me?"

"Are my thoughts different than other peoples' thoughts?" he asked.

Aggravated, and not sure where this was going, I nodded. "So what? Not everyone thinks the same. Stop avoiding my question!"

He put his hands on my upper arms. "I'm different, too, Sookie. That's why I can smell him."

"You're not a vampire," I said. Vampires were the only ones I had ever encountered that had such keen senses. And I couldn't hear their thoughts _at all_, but I could get something from Sam – a tangle of emotions, usually. An impression, rather than a picture.

"No, not a vampire," he said with a look of disgust. "But different."

I laughed, "Are you a werewolf?" Jacob versus Edward; Sam versus Eric.

He shook his head. "I'm a shapeshifter. Were's can only turn into one kind of animal – I can shift into most anything."

I took a step back. "Wait – did you just tell me werewolves exist too, and that you're not one?"

He shrugged. "If there are vampires, why not werewolves? There are a lot of things that humans are too busy to see or notice."

I couldn't even think of something to say – which didn't happen to me very often. Finally, I managed, "Why did you wait so long to tell me? It would have been nice to know someone else that was different," in a whisper. I wouldn't have felt so alone in my otherness.

"I'm sorry, cher. I never knew quite how to say it," he answered, reaching out to rub my shoulder soothingly.

I let him pull me in for a hug, then stepped back to say, "Well, shapeshifter or not, you're not allowed to _sniff_ me to see who I'm dating, okay?" This was too much for me to process all at once. I had to put it away for access later when I had time to realize that the world wasn't quite what I'd been led to believe.

He laughed. "I just want to make sure you're safe, Sookie."

"I appreciate that, Sam." I turned to leave, but remembered, "Oh, my schedule may be a little weird for the next couple of months. The vampires have offered me a part-time opportunity to earn a little money."

His face soured, but he only said, "Just let me know what you need."

My night at work was rather uneventful, unless you count Lafayette trying to pry news about Eric out of me. He accused me of 'gettin' some' but I wouldn't give any details. It just made me blush to think about it anyway; it was something better done when I was alone. I got home at my normal time and Gran told me that Eric had called again.

"He said it was regarding his mouth. A rather strange message, I thought, but I figured you'd understand," she said good-naturedly, not even looking up from the romance novel she was reading on the couch.

I blushed. How _dare_ he leave a naughty message with Gran! The gall! The nerve! That . . . that jerk. He knew this would embarrass me. And he'd ensured that I'd thought of his mouth tonight, certainly. I felt my blush deepen as I remembered the feel of his tongue . . . _new thought new thought new thought_. "Thanks, Gran," I managed to say. "I'll call him back."

Unfortunately, Gran chose that moment to glance up and witness my mortification. "What's wrong, dear? Was his message troubling?"

I cackled – a little maniacally, I'm afraid. "Not troubling particularly; just, just.. ."

"Naughty?" she asked, a twinkle in her eye. I could _not_ talk to Gran about this. Awkward! But my returning flush gave me away and she just giggled. Wait. She giggled? Oh crap. "I wondered if that was why you stayed in Shreveport last night."

"It was for business, Gran!" I exclaimed. Could one die of embarrassment? I'm sure I'm on my way.

She giggled again. "Sure it was, Sookie. I may be old, but I'm not dead, you know. Eric is one attractive specimen, and I can't blame you if your relationship becomes physical."

I sank to the loveseat across from her; my legs simply wouldn't hold me anymore. I said the first thing that came to mind: "But you always taught me to wait until marriage, Gran. I thought you'd be disappointed."

"I'm just glad you're happy, Sookie, and you can't deny that with the grin you've been keeping the last few days. Everything else is between you and God. Besides, I don't think you can even marry a vampire technically."

Oh, Lord help me. I know that we're grown women and all, but seriously? I just couldn't talk about it with her. It was too. . .weird. I somehow got back to my feet and started to walk to the kitchen. I really needed to get a cell phone so I could talk in my own room with the door closed. I dialed the number to Fangtasia and when Pam answered, I was ready for her. "The bar with a bite."

"Pam? It's Sookie. I need to talk to your dirty-minded, left-a-naughty-message-with-my-_Grandmother_, so-in-trouble Master, please?"

There was a quick exhale of air, almost a snort – did I make Pam _laugh_? "At once," she said.

A couple of moments later, I heard, "Pamela says I am in trouble?" Damn him and his sexy voice.

"Yes! No more naughty messages left with Gran, got it?"

"I didn't say anything _naughty_ to Adele. Is your mind in the gutter, Lover?"

I sputtered for a minute and finally gave up. "Never mind. You called?"

He chuckled a little. "Yes, but now I'm curious. _Have_ you thought of my mouth today?"

I huffed. "Would you get _on_ with it? What did you need?"

I could hear the grin in his freaking voice. "I called to tell you we're taking a trip this weekend. Sophie-Anne requires your presence in New Orleans."

So soon? "I can't go this weekend – it's not enough warning for Sam. He won't be able to cover my shifts."

"Don't worry about the shif—about Merlotte. I've already called him. I'm sending a girl from Fangtasia to cover for you."

"Excuse me?" Hello, Mr. Northman. This is a boundary. Oh wait, you already crossed it.

"I took care of it," he repeated.

"Eric, you can't just call Sam and _take care _of it. He's _my_ boss and it's _my _butt that will be in trouble," I said firmly. I knew that Eric was pretty much used to having things handed to him on a silver platter – wait, not silver – a _golden_ platter, but I was not an underling he could order around.

"You will not be in trouble," he said amiably.

"_You_ are missing the point, Eric. I can and _will_ take care of myself. If I need time off from Merlotte's to work for Sophie-Anne then _I_ will arrange it. This is not negotiable; you are not _my_ Sherriff."

"I was trying to help, Sookie," he answered defensively.

"I do not need your help. I got to 25 on my own and I'm pretty sure I can make it past there on my own, too."

"There will be a car to pick you up at 7:00 on Friday. It will drive you here. That is all." _Click_.

Awesome. I definitely needed moody vampires hanging up on me. Cross-examined by my shapeshifter boss? _Check_. Harassed by a flamboyant coworker? _Check_. Embarrassed to death by my grandmother? _Check_. Argument with sexy, dangerous vampire? _Check_. I'd better go to bed before anything else could sneak up on me.

**Eric's POV**

I stared at my desk phone for a moment, frustrated. I was still staring at it when Pam walked in. "The human is defiant, Master?"

"Reminds me of someone _else_ I know," I said wryly, eyeing her for a second. Her lips curved up a bit.

"Indeed."

"You will need to assist Sookie during this trip. She will need proper attire."

Pam raised a brow. "Are you saying that her wardrobe is not sufficient?" she asked meaningfully.

"Right. How can I say it without offending her?" Was I really asking Pam for advice on women? Miracles never cease.

"Since she will never let you just buy it for her – your delectable telepath and I disagree on that matter, mind you – you must frame it as a business expense. The Royal Residence is an extravagant place and Sophie-Anne expects five-star attire. She will need dresses for evening events, business suits for meetings, and so on. I would be _glad_ to offer my assistance, if for no other reason than the dressing room," Pam said with a glint in her eye.

"She is mine, Pamela," I huffed before I could help it. My control was usually impeccable – what had this human _done_ to me?

"We shall see about that," Pam teased, flitting away from my office and laughing at my possessive growl as she strolled into her own office just down the hallway. I knew she meant no real threat; she just loved to tease me. That did not quite stop my instincts, though.

I shook my head to clear it and turned back to my computer. I was positive that if I called back tonight, my 'delectable telepath' would be in no mood to talk to me. Pam and Sookie could go shopping on Friday night when we got to New Orleans; the Queen had an arrangement with many shops and boutiques to stay open for her perusal when required. Along those lines, I picked up my cell phone and dialed the Queen's message service to make my request.

I checked my email again and signed the stack of Area paperwork Pam had left for me then glanced at the time. Five; too late for a flight to Bon Temps and back. Fuck. Instead, I drove to my home on the outskirts of Shreveport – the one I preferred – and laid in bed plotting our course for the weekend. We would have to be careful around Sophie-Anne – under no circumstances could she learn that Sookie was immune to glamour. Also, I knew that I would have to publicly claim her to prevent her from being shared in the royal nest – I could just imagine how much Sookie will love that. I was just imagining how much Iwould enjoy the _private_ claiming when the dawn took me; I would have to see about arranging for adjoining rooms – or even better – only one room.

**Sookie's POV**

On Thursday when I got to work, Sam's face was understandably stormy. "I'm sorry, Sam," I said immediately when I walked into his office. "I didn't realize that I would be needed so soon; I didn't ask Eric to call – I will be requesting my own time from now on."

His scowl continued. "Cher, I'm worried about you getting involved in vampire business. It's not like the human kind. I don't want you to worry about the bar – you stay safe in New Orleans."

I cast his worries aside with a flit of my hand. If only I could do away with my own as easily. "Don't worry about me, Sam. I'm a big girl."

We chatted for a few more minutes, while I checked my ponytail once more and tied my apron on, and then I walked out into the bar. I was surprised to see Bill Compton sitting in a booth in my area, but I tried not to react. _Did he have a message from Eric?_ Now that I had seen Sam wasn't terribly upset, I was having trouble keeping the flames of my anger with Eric alive.

I went around my section, taking orders or refilling glasses where needed, saving my vampire neighbor for last. "Hi, Bill," I said. "What can I get for you?"

He nodded slightly to acknowledge me. "I'd like a TrueBlood, please."

"Coming right up. Anything else?"

He lowered his voice a little. "Eric wanted me to talk to you about this weekend, when you have a moment."

I nodded. "I'll come and sit with you on my break, okay?"

"That is fine."

So, two hours later when I finally had time to sit down – the dinner crowd had gone home and the partiers weren't out yet – I took my ham and cheddar sandwich and cheese fries to Bill's booth and sat down to eat. "What's up?" I asked.

He curled his lip and sat back with a distasteful look on his face. "How do you eat that? It smells vile."

"Sorry," I said, smirking a little. "I imagine I'd feel the same if you were eating across the table from me."

The offensive look still on his face, he continued. "Eric wanted me to tell you to pack lightly – other than your underthings, you should pack whatever business garments you have. He also wanted me to tell you that he is going to send Pam shopping with you in New Orleans to purchase more formal attire; the Queen is very particular on appearances."

"Are my own clothes not good enough for your Queen?" I asked sarcastically.

"The Queen's home is very extravagant. She likes all of the people in it to follow suit. Eric will be wearing a tie almost every night, if it helps." Picturing Eric in a tie did help, although I'm not quite sure it was in the way Bill intended. I didn't keep much formal clothing in my closet, or business suits for that matter. Barmaid, remember? My church clothes aren't what you'd call formal either, I guess, even though they're nice. Bill went on, "You will be expected to be dressed formally every evening for _dinner_; it's quite an event at the Royal Residence. Also, if you have any meetings on the Queen's behalf, she will expect you to be the picture of perfection."

"So. Don't pitch a fit when Eric sends me shopping. Got the message loud and clear. Anything else?"

He smirked. "That is all from Eric." Bill paused. "He is a good sheriff, Sookie. I am sure he will take good care of you in New Orleans."

"Thank you. I think he will."

"He is not the only one that would," he added, with a look I'm guessing was supposed to be significant. Was he hitting on me?

"He is more than capable. If that's all, I'll take my _vile_ food elsewhere so I can finish. Good night, Bill."

He smirked again. "Good night, Sookie."

That Bill was one strange vampire, that's for sure. Disgusted by me but flirting all in five minute's time. I shrugged it off; I only had eyes for one certain, blonde, Viking vampire, even if he did annoy me all to hell sometimes.

Friday evening came much too soon. I was still fretting over what to pack when I had planned on being showered and dressed. By some miracle, when the car arrived, I managed to be presentable. I took my overnight bag, small suitcase, and garment bag out to the car then came back in to kiss Gran goodbye. "I'll call every night, Gran."

She smiled and kissed my cheek. "I know, dear. Have fun and be safe. Tell Eric I said hello."

I nodded then dashed back out to the car; it was a black Mercedes and I practically melted into the luxurious leather backseat. I think I was asleep before the driver got off Hummingbird Road. I didn't wake up until the car pulled to a stop behind Fangtasia and I heard the door next to me open. I felt a mouth at my ear, "Hello, Lover."

I managed to get my eyes open and look over at Eric. I smiled drowsily. "Hey, yourself. Sorry I'm so sleepy."

"Think nothing of it. Pam and I will be ready to go in a few minutes, but come in with me until then," he replied, helping me out of the car and leading me toward the a door in the alley. An employee entrance, my foggy brain realized as we walked in. When we entered his office, he shut the door behind us and trapped me against it, pressing his body to mine. Believe me when I tell you that woke me up _really_ fast.

He trailed kisses along my neck, nibbled on my ear, and then whispered, "What have you done to me, Sookie? I cannot think of anything but you."

I shivered from the cold chills his breath had given me and smiled. "And here I thought I was the one supposed to be thinking of you."

He kissed my lips then, his tongue sneaking into my mouth and tangling with mine. I felt his hands run down my sides and grip my hips like he was afraid I would run away. My own hands found themselves snarled in Eric's hair, keeping him close to me. In no time at all, my breathing was labored and my knees were quaking; we won't even talk about the reactions certain other parts of my body were having.

Before I could protest, Eric had picked me up and deposited me on a leather sofa in his office. _How had I not noticed that before_? I had the chance to think before my brain ceased to reason logically. Eric had positioned himself on his knees between my legs and was launching a campaign against my clothing – my blouse came off over my head and my denim skirt was unbuttoned and disappeared. My bra was removed and my panties vanished with a rip; Eric was placing open-mouthed kisses down my body and my hips were lifting toward him in anticipation.

Suddenly, in a mystical moment of clarity, I heard the bass bumping in the bar and remembered where I was. I sat up and pushed Eric away, trying to cover myself with my arms and hands. "We're in public," I hissed at his confused, but still heated, look. I cast around, looking for my clothes.

He tried to pull me back to him, and it said a lot that I was able to resist. I felt a blush creep up my neck and face. "They'll hear me," I protested, embarrassed. "We can't do this here."

He shoved his bottom lip out in a pout. Seriously? "But I have missed you, Lover, and it will not be a lonely flight to New Orleans. Pam will be with us, remember?"

I got up and started to put my clothes back on. "You will survive, Viking," I said sarcastically, pulling my skirt up. I held up my destroyed panties. "What am I supposed to do with these?"

He waggled his eyebrows. "Go without."

I snorted. "Fat chance." I had just pulled my blouse back down and was smoothing it with my hands when Pam walked in. I glared at Eric as if to say, _See? We could have been caught!_

He rolled his eyes and said flatly, "Pamela, will you fetch Sookie some panties from our gift shop? Hers seem to have met with an unfortunate accident." It was my turn to roll my eyes and Pam gave a soft snort – she was practically rolling on the floor with laughter.

She looked at me and said seriously, "You may well have just let him finish. Now he will be totally insufferable during the entire trip." I opened my mouth to respond, but couldn't think of anything intelligent to say so I closed it again. Twice. Finally I gave up and just sat back down on the sofa next to Eric. "Anything else, Eric?" Pam asked.

He shook his head, pinning me with a smoldering stare. "We will leave in 10 minutes." She walked out. "Pam is correct you know. I am incredibly insufferable when I am _frustrated_."

"Oh, please," I shot back, "What are a few hours to someone as old as you are?"

He grinned. "Touché." I mentally patted myself on the back for a job well done. Sookie – 1. Eric – 0. We'll see how long that lasted.

* * *

**I know I know - they STILL haven't had sex. Soon. I swear. But some lemons are better than none, right? Even if it isn't lemonade, lemon bars, and lemon meringue pie...**

**Now, I'm gonna need some help with this shopping bit. In RL, I'm a math teacher - remember? - which equals to a great, big NERD stamp on my forehead. AKA I'm not that fashion forward (although my (school) kids tell me I do ok haha) so I need some suggestions! Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?**


	9. Chapter 9

_a/n Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter, hope you like! I want to thank everyone for their reviews on Chapter 8, especially those of you who gave brand names/fashion advice... it was so much fun browsing the interwebs for threads I would never buy for myself! Also, I want to give a special thanks to *hearttorn* ~~ there's a little shout out to her in this chapter... her words were so perfect I had to use them (sorry it's not Burberry plaid, hearttorn)!_

_a/n Also, thanks to Northwoman, my spectacular beta who makes me excited all over again about this story when I send her a chapter. Have fun in SF, NW!_

_a/n Finally, last but certainly not least: These characters are NOT mine... they're just fun to play with!  
_

Chapter 9

**Sookie's POV**

When we left Fangtasia, we took the same Mercedes I had ridden in to the Shreveport Regional Airport. There, we drove to a private terminal and approached a private jet on the tarmac. It was strange to me to do it this way – especially since the only experience I had with planes or airports was from movies - but I just followed the lead of Eric and Pam. The airplane was small, but roomy and comfortable; the seats were made of dark blue, buttery leather and the interior was all red and blue.

We were quickly seated and buckled. As we taxied out onto the runway, I was gripping the arms of my seat so hard my knuckles were turning white. I felt the nose of the plane drift upward off the pavement, and I had to lean my head back and shut my eyes tight. _Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. . ._ _Does that cover flying too, Lord?_

I heard Eric chuckle a bit and felt him lean close to me. "You're perfectly safe, Sookie. I did not realize you might be afraid of flying."

"Me either," I said through clenched teeth.

"You've never flown before?" he asked, surprised. I shook my head. "I am sorry, Lover. I should have asked." He took my face in his hands and kissed me softly. He moved one hand down to stroke my side as he deepened the kiss. He continued his thorough exploration of my mouth until the airplane finished its uphill climb. Somehow, I was much more relaxed than when we had taken off.

As we flew, Eric outlined the general itinerary for our trip. Since Pam and I had been instructed to spend the rest of the darkness shopping once we got to New Orleans, I would meet Sophie-Anne tomorrow night. Eric and Pam spent much of the almost two hour flight telling me about the Queen's retinue – Andre was her Pam; he was described as totally devoted to Sophie-Anne, sneaky, and cruel. I didn't know what it took to earn that description from a fellow vampire, and I was quite sure that I didn't want to find out. They told me about Sigebert and Wybert (pronounced See-ya-bairt and Way-bairt respectively; I had to make Pam spell them for me - twice), Sophie-Anne's huge, Saxon vampire guards.

Then, I knew something bad was coming, when Eric and Pam exchanged a meaningful glance and then Eric took my hands in his, peering into my eyes like he was looking at my soul. "There's something else, Lover." Yeah; figured that out.

Instead of being a smart-ass (which, let me tell you, took all kinds of self-control), I merely raised my eyebrows and said, "Oh?"

He nodded sagely. "I think Bill mentioned that the dinner hour is a rather extravagant affair at the Royal Residence." I nodded, so he continued, "I think you can imagine what I mean when I say 'dinner hour,' so I will not elaborate on that. However, as a human employee of Sophie-Anne, you will unfortunately be expected to attend."

"I figured that," I said calmly. What was the catch?

Pam rolled her eyes. "Human? Vampire dinner?" motioning with her hands. _It's not that hard_, said the look on her face.

My eyes widened. "You'll mean I'll be attending as an entrée?" I exclaimed incredulously. This is one aspect of the job that should have been included in the contract – so I could have rewritten it.

Pam nodded with a satisfied smirk. "Finally, Sookie."

"But. . . what . . ." I came back eloquently. Forgive me if I was at a loss when finding out that I was expected to let any ole vampire nosh on me because I had an unfortunate species assignment. That could not happen. Period.

Eric grinned. "There is a solution," he said with a look in his eye that made me wary. Was this solution of his going to be better than the alternative? It had to be.

"Which is?"

"I must claim you publicly."

_Claim_ me? How delightfully caveman. "Explain, please?"

"If I were to claim you as mine, all other vampire would be required to leave you alone. To our kind, this kind of claiming says that you are my human and then it is up to me whether or not to share you."

Pam frowned a bit. "And he will not share you, unfortunately," she said, sighing dejectedly.

I laughed. "No offense, Pam. You're pretty but I just don't swing that way."

Eric grinned at our banter. "It is permissible, then?"

I shuddered. "Anything to keep me from being passed around like a hors d'oeuvre platter."

Pam smirked. "You should have asked for more, Master. No telling to what she would have agreed."

I laughed. "Anything else I need to know?"

"Just one more thing for now," Eric said seriously. "Since I am claiming you for my own, we will be expected to share a room. The arrangements have already been made."

How handy. My eyebrows lifted and Pam snorted. "If you do not want to share with him," she purred with a wink, her fangs running out, "You are more than welcome to share with me, Sookie." I was really beginning to like Pam.

Eric shot her a deathly look. Jealous, much? I knew I was playing with fire, but I couldn't resist replying, "If I don't like what he gives me, I may just have to do that, Pam," with a wink of my own.

I giggled when Eric's look swung to me and he growled in his throat, but my laughter quickly turned to panting when he ran a hand up my thigh and the tip of his tongue up my neck to my ear to whisper, "Believe me, Sookie. You will like what I have to offer very much." Playing with fire was very likely to get you hot, apparently.

By this time, we had landed and the plane was just coming to a stop on the tarmac. Within ten minutes, our luggage was loaded into the back of a stretch limousine and Pam and I were ushered into an Escalade for our shopping excursion. Eric waved to us as he crawled into the limo and was whisked away.

Our own driver leaned back to introduce himself as we drove off the tarmac and toward a freeway. "I am Rasul, a guard of Queen Sophie-Anne, and I understand that we are going on a shopping spree?" Pam nodded and they began chatting in that annoying way vampires have – too fast and low for me to catch any of it. If I had to wager a guess, I'd say Rasul had originated somewhere in the Middle East because of his strong features and brown skin.

After a while, we pulled up right in front of Saks Fifth Avenue. The windows of the store were illuminated and there was a well dressed man standing just inside the double glass doors, peering out intently. While I was gawking, Rasul had gotten out and opened my door, holding his hand out to help me out. "Miss Stackhouse?"

I shook myself out of my reverie and gratefully accepted Rasul's assistance. Pam placed a hand on my arm and smiled. "Are you ready to shop, Sookie?" she asked, with an almost childlike giddiness. I guess I'd found Pam's real element; I was just now absorbing that she wasn't dressed in her usual flimsy black outfit, but instead in a pastel blue and white pantsuit with stylish pumps to match. It looked good on her; she looked like a well-to-do soccer mom. A lethal, well-to-do soccer mom. I snickered to myself as I wondered if she drove a mini-van, too.

I managed to contain myself as we approached the doors and the man inside smoothed his jacket then opened a door for our entry, nodding at each of us as we strode inside. "Good evening, my name is Sebastian. I understand that you require some assistance this evening on behalf of Ms. Leclerq?"

Rasul nodded. "Ms. Leclerq requests that the bill be sent by mail. Ms. Ravenscroft and Ms. Stackhouse are to have whatever their hearts' desire. Is that clear?" You could practically see the dollar signs rolling in poor Sebastian's eyes as he nodded his understanding. "Good," Rasul continued. "I will be back at 4:00 to take them to their lodgings, and you are to call me if anything of importance arises." He nodded at Pam and me. "Have fun, ladies." And with that, he exited and Sebastian steered us further into the gigantic store.

Sebastian was telling Pam that if we needed any assistance not to hesitate, but he didn't want to hover so we were free to roam when she took my hand and practically drug me to the shoe department. "Couldn't we have just gone to Dillard's or something?" I whispered. It seemed like talking too loudly would damage the wares.

Pam snorted. "Don't be ridiculous, Sookie. Think of it like an adventure." Her eyes widened and a grin haunted her face as she motioned with her hands, "We're on the hunt for perfect attire. Outfits that are accessorized perfectly. The tools that women have always used to make themselves sexy, confident, and daring."

I laughed. "Are you always so dramatic?"

She gave me a little half-grin, her eyes sparkling. "Perhaps," she replied seriously. "Now. Under no circumstances are you to look at a price tag. If I catch you – and I will – I'll find you something twice as expensive with half as much material. Got it?" I nodded, smiling a little to myself. Pam meant business. She ticked off what I needed on her fingers. "A few outfits for business meetings, a couple of formal dresses, some fancy lingerie for my master to rip to shreds," she eyed me here, daring me to protest, then smirked when I didn't, "A bathing suit or two, then we'll see what we find just for fun."

As she pulled me from department to department, I tried to feel ashamed at how much fun I was having at someone else's expense, but I couldn't quite get to ashamed; somewhat abashed, maybe, but not penitent by any stretch of the imagination. I was having a great time. I had never had a girlfriend I could totally be myself around except for Tara, and we were never prone to shop-till-you-drop expeditions. I had also never been able to shop without having to block out hundreds of voices – even at Wal-Mart.

I only had to ask Pam to not follow me into the dressing room once, and she hardly argued when I promised to model all of our findings for her. I could quickly assess the overall success of an outfit by the state of Pam's fangs. Fangs hidden – something was off; Fangs springing to attention – definitely a keeper. We were joking about her built in hit-or-miss meter almost all night.

When I stepped out of the dressing room in my last of many formal dress attempts – a cerulean, one-shouldered, chiffon number and a pair of impossibly high Jimmy Choo sandals – Pam's face softened and she smiled, fangs out. She came over to me, taking my hands in hers and looking into my eyes.

"Sookie, I must be honest. I'm beginning to see what Eric sees in you. You're quite charming and lovely. Forgive me for being so aloof before."

I grinned. "Oh stop it, Pam," I said with a wink. "You still can't come help me out of this dress." The sudden softness from blunt and hard Pam was surprising, and very touching.

She grinned back at me and squeezed my hands, then sent me back into the dressing room to change back into my own duds. When I came out, she had Sebastian take the dress and shoes off to wrap with the rest of our booty and we walked to the front door. I couldn't believe it was already time to leave for the Royal Residence. I practically had a whole new wardrobe – Pam had even made me select new underwear - and it seemed I had made a new friend. Trip to New Orleans? So far, so good.

**Eric's POV**

I was lounging in my quarters in the Royal Residence waiting for Sookie and Pam to return, hoping it would be sooner than later although I knew that Rasul would be lucky to get Pam out of there at 4:00 as scheduled. All of our belongings had already been unpacked and I had managed to refrain from going through all of Sookie's things even though my curiosity was practically unbearable. I'm not sure why I cared what kind of panties she brought; I would only be ripping them off, with any luck.

I had met Sophie-Anne when I arrived and we had spent an hour or so talking about Sookie and how she could be of assistance in Sophie-Anne's current disaster. I think I made it clear that I was accepting responsibility for the local telepath, although I'm not sure whether or not the Queen managed to pick up the shadings of personal interest. I am confident that she wouldn't care, even if she had; she would assume it a brief infatuation and that Sookie was more secure because she was likewise infatuated with me. Was it a brief infatuation on my part? It was getting harder and harder to compartmentalize it that way; I couldn't deny that Sookie was more intriguing than any other conquest I had pursued in my long life. The next couple of hours had been spent refreshing connections and seeking out old friends; I had politely declined the Queen's offering of a favorite pet for a meal. She knew, at least, that I was feeding from Sookie.

Finally, Pam led Sookie in, followed by a trail of helpers laden with boxes and bags of all shapes and sizes. Sookie was desperately trying to help someone but they wouldn't allow her to carry anything, so she was wringing her hands and looking to Pam for guidance. Pam opened Sookie's share of the wardrobe and drawers and began to pilfer through it all, throwing some over her shoulder into a pile and allowing some to stay safely put away. Sookie's wild eyes finally found my own. "Eric, help!"

"What seems to be the problem?"

"She's throwing away my clothes!"

"Did you not get suitable replacements?" I asked, quirking a brow. It was so fun to watch her out of her element; she was like a snarling kitten. Sookie huffed in frustration as the helpers began unloading and putting each item away with care. Finally, she grabbed her small overnight bag and headed for the adjoining bathroom.

"I am going to take a shower," she growled, her brows furrowed. She shot me a look, "I do not desire company," then swung her look to Pam, "Or require assistance," before shutting the door and sliding the lock home with a small _click_.

Pam came and sat in the overstuffed chair next to the sofa I was lounging on, chuckling under her breath. "She's a fiery one, Master."

I nodded. "Did you find suitable selections?"

"Yes," she replied then after a pause added softly, "I had _fun_." At my raised brows, she hastily went on, "I was wrong about her, Eric. I'm sorry." Humility was not an attitude that Pamela exhibited often, and she quickly recovered. "I will kill her if she endangers you, regardless." She got up and continued directing the wardrobe replacement. There were several lacy items being tipped into a dresser drawer I found most interesting, although Pam prevented me from snooping.

Within thirty minutes of their arrival, everything was put away and Pamela had gone to find a snack before dawn, which was fast approaching. Sookie finally emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a bathrobe and wet hair trailing down her back. When I grinned at her, she glared back at me. "I do not appreciate being _bought_, Eric Northman." We were still on the snarling kitten bit, I see.

"Who's buying you, Sookie? Not me."

"Are you saying that you wouldn't have bought every stitch if Sophie-Anne hadn't volunteered?" She had me there. Sophie-Anne had only volunteered as a good-will campaign, anyway.

I shrugged. "It's for your job, Sookie. If I had been needed to provide it, then I would have."

"I'll admit that I didn't have clothing appropriate for Royalty," she said with her teeth gritted, "But I did not need my entire wardrobe replaced."

"I never said you did. Pamela got carried away, but can you say that you did not have a good time?" Her angry look faltered then. _Success!_ "Do not be angry, Sookie. We don't have long until dawn." I got up off the sofa and approached her, watching her eyes roam down my body then back up again when she realized I was only wearing a pair of silky boxer shorts. When I wrapped my arms around her, she submitted willingly enough but still had frustration in her eyes. "What is really bothering you, Lover?" I asked softly. I didn't know Sookie perfectly, but I would be willing to bet she didn't just get upset for nothing; and Pam filtering through her under things hardly seemed a worthy cause.

She laughed then, a short burst with no real humor in it, and looked up to meet my gaze. "I guess I'm feeling a little hypocritical. These clothes were all something I've just dreamed about and I've done nothing to earn them. I feel like I shouldn't have accepted them, but I had a blast with Pam. I guess it didn't really sink in that I was taking them with me until we drove over here with all of them."

"How big was Pam's pile of goodies?" I asked pointedly.

"Twice as big as mine. But it's different."

"You're right – but the only thing that is different is that Pam accepts what is offered to her, knowing that she'll earn it. You will earn it, too."

"We probably spent my entire year's salary, Eric. Easy."

I rolled my eyes. "You think too much of money. Why have it if you cannot spend it? Think of it as a bonus."

She shrugged halfheartedly. "Maybe you're right, but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it."

I laughed then, squeezing her to me. "That's better. Now, come to bed with me?"

She nodded, yawning. "It's been a long night."

We moved to the large, four-poster bed. The room we were in was one of my favorites in the Residence, decorated in rich, vibrant colors and soft, welcoming furniture. I nudged the robe from Sookie's shoulders before she sat on the edge, waggling my eyebrows when I found her bare underneath.

She blushed immediately, but scooted back to lie down and patted the spot next to her. "How long do we have?" She was becoming more daring by the day, which was fine by me.

"About an hour. But I unfortunately have to brief you on what will happen tomorrow," I replied, pulling my boxers down and joining her on the bed. My pride swelled when I caught her eyeing me, chewing on her bottom lip and her pulse quickening.

"Did you, um," she cleared her throat nervously. "Did you eat tonight?" I liked where this was going, most definitely. I shook my head. A small smile danced across her face. "Well, let's get the business out of the way first."

I quickly outlined the next day for her. She would be free during the daylight hours and expected to be dressed presentably for dinner at 9:00. Then, at 11:00 she was having a meeting with Sophie-Anne to be informed of the current situation and to draw up a plan of action, then question any suspects that were in custody. I went over what I knew of the circumstances, which was unfortunately not very much – just that one of her underlings had been staked during the day and they hadn't been able to figure out who was responsible.

Sookie was looking a little overwhelmed by the time this was over, so I smiled and kissed her gently. "Don't worry. I will be with you the whole time." She nodded and shifted a little closer to me, bringing my dick to attention. "Now for something a little more pleasurable," I whispered in her ear, pressing kisses to her neck. She reached toward me and wrapped her hot hand around my hardness; more pleasurable, indeed.

**Sookie's POV**

I couldn't fight the fuzziness taking up residence in my brain when Eric began kissing down my neck. I don't know what had made me think it, but I was somehow afraid that the devoted vampire in Shreveport might not stay so devoted given a broader selection, but a ripple of pride had gone through me when he said he hadn't eaten tonight. I wanted my vampire well cared for; or at least as well as I could muster.

He kissed my mouth and I slid my hand up and down on his erection, remembering how he had done the same the other night as he tasted me. I moaned at the memory, suddenly wanting to reciprocate. I lifted myself from the bed and he leaned back, accommodating me as I settled between his legs on my knees. His fangs shot out when I began kissing and licking down his chest; a growl started in his throat when I swirled my tongue around the tip of his dick, then burst out of him when I lowered my mouth onto him.

I settled into a rhythm, using a hand on what my mouth couldn't take. His hands were snarling in my hair and his hips were rising to meet me. I was amazed I could have this affect on such a powerful being. Feeling empowered myself, when his warning came this time I locked my eyes on his and swallowed as he pulsed, then exploded into my mouth. Before I had a chance to sit back, he had me laid back on the bed and was nibbling and kissing down my body.

I closed my eyes and relished the feeling of cool hands and lips caressing me, but looked down to meet his gaze when I felt his breath on the slickness between my legs. He slowly, purposefully leaned closer and licked me in long strokes before settling his mouth on my nub and his fingers inside of me. My hips were pressing up toward him and my breath was coming in short bursts; I felt a heat rising inside me, my muscles were beginning to pulse. "Oh, Eric," I moaned over and over again. Just as I felt like I couldn't take anymore, I felt his fingers curl up inside me and he turned his head to bite into my thigh.

Colors burst across my vision and I collapsed, boneless, on the bed. I felt Eric crawl up beside me and kiss my lips softly. "Good night, Lover," he said, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me tightly to his chest.

I sighed contentedly, my heart full of unspeakable emotions. "Good night, Eric." Then I was pulled off into slumber, just as I felt Eric go limp with the dawn.

* * *

**I know! They STILL haven't had lemon tart! Blame them, not me! *ducks and runs***

**:K Let me know what you think about this chapter!  
**


	10. Chapter 10

_a/n Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long since my last update. This chapter is extra long to make up for it! *gives puppy dog eyes* You'll forgive me, right?_

_a/n Thanks, as always, to my awesome beta, Northwoman. She recently participated in the _**Deadpan Contest**_ and since it's all over and the awards have been given I can say that I know which one is hers and that I've read it and that it's amazing. It didn't place this time - the entries were all so amazing - but I know it was close. Here's the link if you'd like to read it. And you would. So go to _http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/6058772/1/Flesh_and_Bones#_ and then come back later for Dead and Blonde :-)_

_a/n Usual disclaimer: Thank you dear Ms. Harris for your amazing characters. Please don't mind me... I'm just borrowing them for a bit.  
_

Chapter 10

**Sookie's POV**

When I woke up the next day (much later in the afternoon than I had anticipated), I immediately called Gran to let her know that we arrived safely. We chatted for a few minutes, and then I set about getting ready to meet The Queen. Eric hadn't told me anything about her other than the fact she was a decent ruler and had gained Eric's respect. I didn't think that many creatures could claim such a fact, so I was impressed from the word go. I will admit, though, that I was at a loss on how to treat a queen; it's not like I'd ever met one before, unless Miss Teen Renard Parish counted – and she was a total witch.

I soaked in a luxurious bath for a while, thankful for the time to relax a bit and trying to decide what to wear. I was still a little uncomfortable with the result of the shopping trip, and I vowed to myself to work my telepath booty off to earn it. Even if it was odd to me that someone would offer to buy me a fortune's worth of clothes, I could at least show them that I was grateful. Eric had said that I was to be dressed "appropriately" for dinner, and I was still puzzling over what that meant exactly. I hoped Pam would come by and give me a pointer or two.

After my fingers and toes had gotten all wrinkly, I managed to get myself out of the calming warm water (and Jacuzzi jets) even though I felt like warm Jell-O. I blew my hair dry, curling the ends under as I went, and then put on my makeup. I was still standing in my robe, going through the closet full of my new clothes when Eric appeared behind me.

"Eep!" I squeaked eloquently as he pressed a kiss to my neck and wrapped his arms around me, which of course made him laugh at my expense. I turned around to glare at him, but was met with smoldering eyes and lips crashing onto mine.

"Good evening, Lover," he whispered, running his hands under my robe. I tried to slap them away, honest, but it just wasn't working. My brain wasn't sending the signals right.

Unfortunately… I mean, luckily, Pam burst in just then. "Sookie! Let's get you dressed!"

Eric growled a little at her, which I found amusing, and apparently so did Pam, because she put a hand on his chest and pushed him away from me. "Oh stop it, Viking," she said, "I'm going to make her pretty just for you!"

I smiled at Pam. Thank God she was coming to help me. I was totally out of my league here. She smiled back and plucked a cocktail dress from the small department store I had acquired. "Wear this," she said, holding it out for me to see. I barely remembered trying it on, last night was such a blur. It was navy blue and silk, with little cap sleeves and a ruched bodice that gathered right at the center of my chest in a cluster of jewels. The low v-neck was sexy without being trashy, which is important when you're as blessed in the bosom department as I am. Then, she pulled out the silver Jimmy Choo sandals that I had loved too much to pass up. "And these. Pull your hair half back. Eric should mark you before you appear."

I was nodding along, and then really registered the words 'mark you.' "Do _what_ now?" I asked, my Louisiana twang especially apparent.

Pam rolled her eyes. "This is not the time for your delicate senses, Sookie. There are vampires here who will not put up with them like we do," she said seriously, looking me straight in the eye. A slow grin spread across my face as I recognized the look she had. She was being _protective_ of me. In some people it was stifling (I'm looking at you, Sam!) but it was flattering coming from Pam. And maybe a wee bit frightening. "Eric will need to bite you somewhere visible to help his claim that you are his. It's bad enough you still smell like a virgin."

I blushed. "Pam!" I exclaimed. Geez Louise. It's nice to know I can't keep any secrets from vampires.

She shrugged, walking back to the door. "You don't have much time, Sookie. Don't waste it."

When Eric came back over to me, which was before the door had even closed behind Pam, I was still a little shell-shocked, and if my mouth was hanging open a little, well – who can blame me? Did she just tell me I had to have sex with Eric and let him bite my neck _and_ look fabulous in less than an hour? Let's be honest – only two of those could happen in that amount of time. I blushed a little just thinking about it. Eric's low chuckle brought me back to earth. I looked up at him questioningly. "Does that mean we . . ." I trailed off, the question in my voice.

Eric shook his head. "I will not have sex with you until you are ready," he said in a low voice. "And, more importantly, an hour is definitely not enough time for me to ravage you properly," he added, leaning close to my ear, nipping it a little. Oh, sweet Jesus. I think my knees buckled, but I was too lost in my fantasy to notice.

"So," I began shakily, "How . . ." Let's try that again; I cleared my throat. "Will you get in trouble for me being a virgin?" I asked quietly. I'm not sure which part of my brain was winning – the please say no, there's not enough time part, or the Oh! Eric! Say yes and we'll fix that! part. Some section of my mind still capable of rational thought noticed there was no faction for 'but I'm not ready yet.' Interesting.

Eric shook his head to my question. "They will just assume that I'm humoring you because you are so important to the Queen and should not be frightened away. Besides, you don't smell quite as innocent as you did when I met you. You have been tasted now." Why did he _do_ that thing with his voice? That low, sexy whisper that made my panties start to slide down of their own volition?

He was leering and waggling his eyebrows at me when I finally swung my gaze to meet his. He leaned down slowly to kiss me, and I felt myself stretch to my tippy toes to meet him, my tongue running across my bottom lip in anticipation. His quick hands had my robe untied and pushed off my shoulders before I even realized it. He took my hand and led me to the bed, nudging me to sit on the edge. As I sat, he kneeled down in front of me, pressing kisses to my collarbone then down my chest.

I gasped and leaned back on my elbows when his mouth moved to my breasts and his hands moved between my legs. He stroked me gently through the fabric of my panties and I felt his fangs slide out, one nicking my nipple in a surprisingly erotic way. Eric's mouth made its way down my body and placed open-mouthed kisses through the silky material still covering my wet, swollen center. He pushed my panties to the side and ran a finger along my sex, making me moan. My hands worked themselves into his hair, urging him to use his tongue. "Please, Eric," I breathed.

I heard a deep growl, then a rip as my panties met their end, but when I felt the coolness of his tongue caress my nub I could focus on nothing else. I looked down and met his eyes as he licked slowly up, down, and back again, my breath catching in my chest and my fingers tightening in his hair. When he slid his talented fingers inside me, I couldn't keep from rolling my head back and moaning. He kept at it, licking and sucking and sliding, until I could barely breathe and there were sparks dancing across my vision. Just before I fell off the edge into complete ecstasy, he pulled my hands out of his hair and sat me up. He started kissing me again, curling his fingers up inside me and hitting just the right spot.

I heard myself calling out in pleasure as he moved his mouth to the curve where my neck meets my shoulder, biting into the soft place there. As he took the first pull of my blood, I hit my peak; colors danced across the back of my eyelids. I slumped over onto him to recover. "I am sorry we do not have more time, Sookie," he said softly in my ear.

"S'okay," I said, snuggling into his shoulder but knowing that I really needed to get up and get dressed. He let me laze there for a few moments, then patted my leg and started to stand up. I grinned up at him, and then went to get myself dressed. I put on a lacy black bra and boyshort panties to match then slid the dress on over my head. Eric was there to zip me up before I'd even gotten the question out of my mouth. I walked back into the bathroom to pull my hair back, thanking my lucky stars my makeup wasn't completely ruined.

By the time I got back into the bedroom, Eric was dressed in slacks, button-up and jacket – all black and gray. Of course, it goes without saying that he looked gorgeous – that vampire could make a burlap sack look good, I'm convinced. Pam was there, too, in a pastel pink pencil skirt and jacket, belted at the waist. Their fangs ran out when I appeared. "You look beautiful, Sookie," Pam said, eyeing me up and down.

"Thanks. I have a good coach," I replied with a wink, slipping into my sandals. Eric offered me his elbow and away we went to meet the Queen.

As we walked through the Royal Residence, I couldn't help but ogle. It was so beautiful and meticulously detailed, right down to fresh vases of flowers and charming knick-knacks. The crown molding and marble floors were just icing on the cake. As we walked into a large ballroom, Eric tugged on my hand to get my attention and I followed the quick jerk of his chin across to an elevated, ornate chair.

A small vampire woman was perched in it – she was beautiful and youthful looking. If I hadn't been able to tell she was a vampire and she'd ordered a beer at Merlotte's, I would have carded her – she couldn't have been more than sixteen when she was turned. She had beautiful, cascading reddish-brown hair and was dressed impeccably, groomed down to her eyelashes, it seemed. Eric seemed to be propelling us in her direction, so I tried to mentally prepare myself for our introduction.

When we got close enough for it to be obvious that we were walking toward her, her gaze caught mine and I quickly looked down. Eric stopped us a few feet away. "Your Majesty," he said, bowing his head. "If I could present Miss Sookie Stackhouse?"

Sophie-Anne looked at me again and in a panic, I tucked one foot back and did my best imitation of a proper curtsy from Pride and Prejudice. "Your Majesty," I said, in what I hoped was a grateful acknowledgment, and was happy to see a small grin on her face and her eyes lingering on Eric's fang marks when I stood back up.

"Miss Stackhouse, I am so glad you could join us," she said flatly. "Won't you take part in dinner? The donors are standing over there," she motioned with her hand to one long wall where, in fact, several scantily clad humans were standing, their minds mulling over the vampires present – several of them were coveting Eric – and trying their best to appear decadent and appetizing. Yuck.

Eric cleared his throat. "She is mine, Your Majesty. I would appreciate it if you would allow us to dine privately." Well that wasn't so bad. It's not like he had to shout it and thump his chest.

Sophie-Anne quirked an elegant eyebrow. "Yours, Northman? Are you quite sure?" she said, running her eyes up and down my body and her tongue across her lips. Double yuck.

"Yes, Your Majesty," I butted in with my wide crazy-Sookie smile, "I'm totally Eric's. Totally." So glad I sounded like a redneck Valley Girl. _Like, totally_ indeed.

She sat back and a look of disappointment flitted across her face. "Very well. I will see you in the north conference room at 10:30. Do not be late," she said, giving Eric a stern look.

He nodded again, which I took as my cue to curtsy once more. "Thank you, my queen," he said, then pulled me away. I opened my mouth to speak, but a tiny shake of his head stopped me.

When we got back to our suite, Eric shut the door and locked it behind us. "We must be very careful what we say around her, Sookie. I presume you were going to ask why she moved up your meeting time?" I nodded. "Two reasons, I think. Because she knows I would want more than an hour and twenty minutes to have a proper meal," he waggled his eyebrows, which made a blush start to creep up my chest to my face, "And, because she can. She's showing us that we are here at her whim and will do whatever she wants. And we will, because you're too valuable to get on her bad side."

I nodded again. "Do you think I should change for the meeting?" Eric shook his head. "Do you know what I should expect?" I asked as we sat down on the loveseat.

Eric scooted closer to me and tucked a piece of stray hair behind my ear. "I told you everything I know for sure last night. One of the vampires that visits here often – a favorite, we can presume – was staked in their usual home during the day. I know that she has questioned a few people but cannot really get anywhere. I know that she is holding two humans for you to question. That is all I know as fact. I can assume that the humans are being held in conditions you will probably not think appropriate, that they have probably been fed from against their will, and that they will be terrified of you because they will not think you are human," he replied, then took my hands in his and looked me right in the eyes, deadly serious. "Sookie, I need you to listen to me. You must be _very careful_ when speaking to the queen and Andre. They do not have to be as aware of human-vampire relations here in New Orleans as I do in Shreveport. They will not care to hear your opinion of it. Do you understand?"

"Throw my morals out the window. Got it," I retorted, rolling my eyes. "If you think that I'm afraid . . ."

"You should be," Eric interrupted, gripping my hands tighter in his. "Sophie-Anne is one of the only vampires from whom I cannot protect you. She is older than me, and she is my queen. Disobeying her or doing something that is against the best interest of her kingdom would cost me my fangs, at the very least."

That protective look was in Eric's eyes, and Heaven help me if all I could do was be touched by it. Protective instincts meant I had some value to Eric, and hopefully it wasn't just what I could do with my brain. _Hopefully? _ What did my subconscious mean by that?

**Eric's POV**

This woman _had_ to understand that she needed to tread lightly around Sophie-Anne. I don't know what I would do if I lost her. _She's so unique_ I told myself. That's why I couldn't stand it if she was gone. Such a special talent couldn't go to waste. Unfortunately, nothing in my brain bought that excuse. _What had she done to me?_

Sookie got up and walked toward the bathroom, so I sat back and leaned my head onto the back of the loveseat, closing my eyes. There was no way I could feed from her again and not completely ravish her. I was doing my best to be patient, but unfortunately I am quite used to instant gratification.

When she came back, she had changed out of her dress and was just wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top. "I don't want my dress to get wrinkled," she said when she noticed me looking her up and down. She sat back down next to me and lay down in my lap; I was stroking her hair before I even realized it. "Tell me more about yourself, Eric. It seems we've got some time to kill." She narrowed her eyes playfully. "And no kissing bargains this time."

I laughed then smiled down at her. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything. I'd like to know the man I'm supposed to be seeing."

"Seeing? Is that what we're doing?" Some part of me really wanted to know the answer to this question. The other parts were pretending not to care.

A corner of her mouth tucked in a cute half smile. "I suppose. You keep saying you'd like to see me again, and I haven't said no yet."

"You said no the first time," I reminded her, recalling the feel of her hand across my face and the intrigue that filled me.

Her eyes flashed and she scoffed. "Any lady would have said no to that offer, Eric Northman. '_We could have a good time_,' ridiculous! Do pick-up lines like that usually get you very far?"

"Do you always take such care to recall what I've said?" I teased. I had a perfect memory of what had transpired, but that would take more effort on her part. She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at me; I couldn't help but laugh. "My pick-up lines are not what I usually rely on," I said, an arrogant look on my face. "If my incredibly good looks won't get me what I want, I have glamouring as a last resort."

She rolled her eyes again. "Could your head _get_ any bigger?"

I smirked. "That depends on which one you're talking about," I murmured and received a smack against my knee, which made me laugh again. Hardly any creature had made me laugh as much as this one. _Unique abilities, Viking?_ a voice in my head taunted. One day I was just going to have to confess to myself how I felt about Sookie. How much I cared for her. _Is that all?_

We spent the next hour or so chatting about random things – business at Fangtasia, some of the artists that I'd had the luxury of knowing or being close to in my long, long life, some of the fun (and less gruesome) stories I had about Pam and I – but finally, Sookie had to get up and change back into her dress so we could go down to meet the queen for business. I was hoping that Sophie-Anne would take it a little easy on Sookie, but I unfortunately did not see that happening.

I escorted Sookie to the north conference room – a relatively small room where Sophie-Anne preferred to do her personal business – and all hopes were dashed when I saw not only that bastard Andre lurking outside the door, but also a short, buxom blonde that looked just enough like Sookie for me to assume it was her cousin, Hadley. Shit.

**Sookie's POV**

I sensed rather than saw Eric's stride falter as we approached the room where we were supposed to be meeting Sophie-Anne. I followed his gaze to a door not ten feet from us and was slightly confused at first, since all I saw was a short, young-ish looking vampire with short white-blonde hair. He was standing "at attention" and the ferocious, predatory look in his eyes made him downright creepy – it was not at all the shivery predatory look that Eric gave me. Right before my gaze slipped behind him, I concluded that it must be Andre by the stiff nod he was giving Eric; but then, my eyes alighted on a blonde figure I could only see in profile, staring off into the distance. Unfortunately – or fortunately, I hadn't quite decided – I would know that figure anywhere, since it struck such a similar silhouette to my own.

"Hadley?" I gasped.

Her head swung around abruptly. "Sookie?" She paused, looking at me closely. "Sookie! Oh my God, I didn't think I'd ever see you again!" she cried, coming over to grasp my hands and pull me close in a hug. It took a few seconds for me to get over my shock – I hadn't heard _anything_ about her state or whereabouts until Eric mentioned her, allowing me to hope she was alive – but I put my arms around her and squeezed back. Her cold temperature was only slightly weird, and I guess I couldn't tell Gran she was _alive_, per se. But she appeared to be in good health. _Do vampires even _have_ another kind of health?_ Some part of my brain wondered, but I shook the thought away, smiling at my cousin. She _was_ still my cousin, after all, alive or undead.

"It's so good to see you, Had! How've you been?"

She smiled, but then it vanished and her brows tucked in as she leaned in to whisper, "Sook, I'm good but I'm afraid it's my fault you've been sucked into this mess. I never should have mentioned you to Her Majesty, but," here she had the grace to pause, and I'm sure she would have blushed if her heart could have pushed the blood to her face, "I wanted to impress her."

I grinned and said, "Oh, don't worry about it," with a wave of my hand. _It's no big deal that I'm working for vampires now. And I might be falling big time for one_. Crap. Those thoughts just came barreling out of nowhere, sometimes.

Hadley smiled back. "How's Gran?"

"She's good," I answered, thinking it wise not to mention the truckload of money Hadley owed her. "Jason's good too; well at least as good as he ever is – he's still got a new woman every week." Hadley laughed and nodded. Jason had been a womanizer since the sixth grade.

I was trying to think of something else to say – what _do_ you say to the cousin you haven't seen in years? Now was _definitely _not the time to mention Aunt Linda (Hadley's mom) had lost her battle with cancer a few years back. If Hadley didn't know . . . surely she does. Right? Luckily, before I could struggle too much more with that thought, Eric motioned me back over and we approached the double doors of the conference room. _Saved by a vampire_, I thought, casting a smile and wave back toward Hadley. _Thank God_.

Of course, then I walked into a small room with Sophie-Anne and two huge, brutish vampires that _had_ to be Sigebert and Wybert. Andre (I think) followed us in and shut the door. I forced myself to focus on my breathing; it wasn't like I was the one being questioned, so why was I so nervous?

Sophie-Anne was seated at the head of a large conference table and she nodded to the seat to her right. Eric pulled it out for me and I sat down as gracefully as possible. The queen was studying a few documents on the table in front of her and began without looking up, "Mr. Northman, we will not require your presence tonight. You are dismissed." Eric opened his mouth like he was about to say something, "You are _dismissed, _Eric."

She waited while Eric walked out of the room and my stomach jumped a little at the look he gave me as he walked out, but then Sophie-Anne caught my eye and said, "Sookie, as I am sure Eric has made you aware, there are vampires dying in my area during the day. I would catch the bastards myself, if I could, but humans can be unreliable as witnesses." She smiled wryly. "They're so fickle."

She continued. "I have held two humans that I believe may have some information. One was the pet of the vampire that was sent to her final death just this past week – the most recent. There was no sign of forced entry into the house or into the sleeping chamber. This vampire's coffin had been opened and the sun-safe shades had been opened all around the room."

"The first death was not so elaborate or well-planned. There was no evidence of breaking in, but there were signs of a struggle inside the vampire's chamber. That vampire was staked in their coffin and we've not been able to discern who the struggle was with. The scents that were left behind were not familiar to any of us in either case."

Sophie-Anne looked up at me, fury in her gaze. "I assure you, Miss Stackhouse, that I do not take these killings lightly and I will expect for you to do the same."

I nodded. "Who is the other human?"

"The other human is a servant of the first vampire killed. He was found on another level of the home unconscious. We're hoping his memories may hold some clues, but," she raised an eyebrow in disbelief, "he is having trouble accessing them at the moment."

"What are their names, Your Majesty?" I asked. Anything would help to make them more comfortable. Thinking, "Oh my god what's going on?" was bound to not be very helpful.

"The names of the vampires?"

"Well, of everyone. The more specific the question I can ask, the more specific the thought." I laughed a little. "People don't very often think _man I wish I hadn't let that vampire killer named Bob Smith who lives on 123 A Street in to kill my lover_, unfortunately."

Sophie-Anne narrowed her eyes. Apparently she didn't have her sense of humor with her tonight – if she ever had one. "Very well. The vampires that were killed were called Gustavo and Katharina. The humans are Jodee – the pet – and Fabrizio." I was only a little jealous of the fluid way the foreign names slipped off of her tongue.

"These vampires were rather favorites of mine and I don't want any others acceding to the same fate." She gave a meaningful glance toward the door. "Neither do you, I'm sure."

I felt my eyes start to widen but made my crazy smile slip into place instead. "I'll do my best, Your Majesty." I thought adding _Scout's Honor_ at the end would push her a little too far.

"Very well," she said, motioning toward the vampire by the door. "Andre, bring in the first human, please." I'd guessed right! He _was_ creepy and I was glad Pam and Eric had warned me ahead of time.

We sat in silence for a few moments and then a slender redhead was led into the room; this must be Jodee. Her hair was hanging in strings – it hadn't seen water or soap in a very long time – and her hipbones were sticking out over the low-rise cargo pants she was wearing. She wasn't resisting, necessarily, but even I could tell she was scared to death without being able to hear her breathing or heartbeat – the look in her eyes said it all. Andre thrust her into the seat across from me and she sunk into it like she was trying to disappear.

_Why did I ever get in with vampires? _she was thinking, images of beatings and feedings flashing through her head. My stomach turned; those were all memories of things that had happened since her captivity here only four days ago. _I hope my mama knows I'm all right. Dear God, if I ever get out of this alive, I'm gonna go to church every Sunday and join the choir. I'll never look at another woman again so I won't be tempted. I'm sorry for liking girls, Lord. Oh please help me out of this. . ._

I did my best to look sympathetic, bless her heart. She was so lost and a clear broadcaster, which would help me, fortunately. Sophie-Anne's fangs slid out and she leaned over in the girl's face menacingly. "You answer every question this woman asks you. Understand?" Jodee nodded fearfully, leaning back from the queen, and then glanced over at me.

_I can't tell if she's a vamp or not . . . nope, there's the marks on her neck. Wish I could tell her to get out while she can. 'Course if she's already working for them, there's probably no way to now . . ._

I smiled and reached across the table to her, hoping she'd take my hands, but she sat even further back in her seat. "Hi, Jodee," I said in a soft voice. "My name is Sookie and I'm going to help you get out of this mess, if I can. Would you mind talking with me for a minute?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. "Don't guess I have much of a choice," she muttered. _I'm in too deep_, she thought as the picture of her lover flaked to ashes surfaced.

"Can I hold your hand?" I asked. "Sometimes it helps me understand better," I tried to explain, but realizing that I probably just sounded like a crazy woman. She crossed her arms stubbornly across her chest. When Andre moved toward her, no doubt meaning to jerk a hand loose, I quickly backpedaled. "It's okay, Andre!" I said, louder than I meant to. "I'll try without, first."

"So. Jodee," I said, trying to figure out where to go first. "Where were you born?" I asked. Maybe something harmless to get us started would relax her a little.

"What does that matter?" she asked. _Austin, Texas_.

I smiled. "It doesn't. How'd you come to be in New Orleans?"

"My daddy kicked me out when he found out I liked girls." I saw memories of the fight they'd had – her father screaming, Bible in hand, telling her to repent her sins so she wouldn't burn in Hell. I blinked a few times to keep my tears at bay. I wished I could go back in time and tell her daddy the Bible also said not to judge. Jodee continued, "So me and my girlfriend loaded up her car and started driving," _What's that got to do with Kat? _"We'd heard New Orleans was a real friendly town so we headed here. I was with her for a couple months when we got into the vampire scene."

"When did you meet Katharina?"

A smile skimmed across her face but quickly vanished. "About six months ago." The scene played out in her memory – a dark bar, several drinks, a lithe blonde flirting with her. "Bree and I had broken up, so I was alone and Kat was so nice to me." Bought her drinks, took her home.

"So you've been seeing Kat for six months?"

Jodee shrugged. "Off and on for a while, at first, but I guess about three months back she invited me to move in," and bought her presents, accepted her for who she was. "I thought she loved me," she added quietly.

"Thought?" I asked.

Jodee shot a glare at Sophie-Anne. "A few weeks ago, Kat was invited to some kind of party and came back _raving_ about some high and mighty vampire, The Queen, she said, and how she was so beautiful and how she wanted Kat to be around more often." Her pain and jealousy shaded her memories. She'd been heartbroken. "I hadn't seen her much until about a week and a half ago. She came home and wanted me, just like before." The visual with that statement was a little TMI for me, but I could see that Jodee had been happy, but she started thinking about the day Katharina had met her final death and her thoughts became dark and cloudy.

"What happened, Jodee? The day Kat died? Did you see anything unusual?"

Her eyes swung up to meet mine. _How did she know I was thinking about that_? She shook her head and her eyes filled up with tears. "I'd been sleeping in the other part of the house and didn't hear anything. I was the one that . . ." she choked up a little, then cleared her throat and went on, "I found Kat that night." All of this was true, at least as far as Jodee knew. The images in her head went right along.

"Is there anything else you could tell me?"

Her memories shot back to a couple of nights before, to a whispered conversation she'd overheard. Another housemate, on the phone and they had sounded tense. _"I said I would let you know when I can help you. There are too many ears here, I can't talk. I know I can get you in, it's just a matter of time." There'd been a pause, and then a resigned answer, "Yes. The room Kat sleeps in is full of windows."_

"Who was it?" I asked. "On the phone, that night."

She answered before she could think better of it. "That was Bree, my ex. She had been coming over some with a group of our friends while Kat was gone. I'd given them a tour of the house and . . ." she stopped abruptly. "Wait a minute – I didn't say anything about someone on the phone!"

I leaned back and looked at Sophie-Anne. "It's all true," I said. "Jodee didn't have a thing to do with Katharina's murder. I expect we need to track down this Bree character and ask her a few questions, but Jodee's done all she can."

Sophie-Anne nodded then looked to Andre. "Get this girl a shower and a good meal, then make sure she can't remember any of this."

"No!" Jodee shrieked. "Kat was the best thing that's ever happened to me! You can't take her away!" Andre pulled her out of the chair and toward the door, kicking and screaming.

"But Your Majesty, she," I started to protest, but the look on Eric's face earlier when he warned me to be careful swam into my vision, so I hesitated.

"I understand that you're a little _delicate_ where humans are concerned, Sookie Stackhouse," she cut in, her eyes boring into mine, "but do not worry your pretty little head about the decisions that I make because I can ensure your head never worries again. Is that clear?"

"Your Majesty," I said intensely, not breaking her gaze, "With all due respect, that girl will cause no harm to you or your kingdom with her memories intact. She is innocent!"

Sophie-Anne shot out of her chair and was leaning over me, fangs bared and growling. Suddenly I wished Eric was sitting next to me. "It will do you good to remember your place, telepath," she spat. "You are still proving your value to me."

I nodded, my back pressed as far into the chair as it would go. "I'm, I'm sorry," I stuttered, wishing she would sit back down. She finally did, slowly and without taking her eyes from mine. My heart started sliding back into my chest where it belonged.

"I think we've had enough for tonight. You are dismissed."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," I said, quickly getting up and walking to the door. "Good night," I said as I exited, just for good measure. I didn't see Eric anywhere around, so I walked as fast as I could back to our room, praying my tears would stay put until I got there.

I just couldn't believe how they had treated Jodee – and then to glamour her to remove some of her happiest meetings. It was just so cruel. That poor girl had been fed on against her will – and painfully so – and starved and forced to take care of her needs in a bucket. They had been keeping her in a cell with no windows and no bed. What kind of creatures had I decided to work for?

I burst into the door of our room and collided with a wall of vampire chest. Eric's arms flew around me and I couldn't keep my tears back anymore. He stroked my hair and rubbed my back until I could catch my breath. "Was it that bad, Sookie?" he asked gently.

"Oh, Eric," I sobbed into his chest, "They're so evil! They're nothing like you!"

He pulled me to the sofa and into his lap as he sat down. "Sophie-Anne is still trying to get her bluff in on you. I think it will get better with time."

"I don't know if I can do more time, Eric," I said seriously. "They are treating that poor girl like an _animal_ and she hasn't done anything!"

He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and kissed my forehead. "I am sorry I could not be there with you," he whispered, squeezing me tighter.

I gazed up into his eyes, his perfect face marred by my watery eyes. "Me too," I said then took a deep breath. "I'll finish this assignment and then I'll decide. But the images in that poor girl's mind, Eric . . ."

"I know," he said, "I can imagine."

I just couldn't stand to have those pictures in my head anymore, so I did the only thing I could think of. I leaned in to him and placed a soft kiss on his lips. He returned it hesitantly, which was a first for him, so I pulled back and looked up questioningly.

He smirked a little. "Sookie, I want to be here for you, honestly, but with you in my lap and your mouth on mine, I will have a very hard time being supportive."

Pushing thoughts of Jodee aside, just for now, I made a final decision. "Eric, I need you to help me forget, just for a while."

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? This will probably be the only time I will have enough of my mind to ask, so make it count."

I leaned forward slowly and whispered, "Help me forget, Eric," moving to kiss him again, a little harder this time. "Please."

Eric growled, low in his chest and stood up with me in his arms, kissing me back. He started walking toward the bedroom and nuzzled me. "It will be my pleasure," he said, his eyes smoldering. "And yours."

* * *

***fans herself* My pleasure, Eric? Yes please! :-)**


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: Hey, it's me, Math Princess, remember? I was writing that one story about Sookie and Eric and what if Eric was the first vampire Sookie had ever met? Remember it? I hope so. I promise I haven't forgotten about it._

_I'm not going to go into nitty gritty details here about why I haven't been able to write as much the last few weeks but most of it had to do with writer's block, a broken air conditioner (that makes twice this summer), and a 10 year old nephew who hovers too much. Also, tomorrow (Thursday), my husband and I are going to Paris, France! We're so excited - it's our first trip out of the country and like a late honeymoon. We'll be gone almost 2 weeks! I'm taking my laptop and I'm hoping to get some romantic inspiration :-) but, if not, I'll be back to writing when I make it back stateside._

_A great big, GIGANTIC thank you to my beta Northwoman, who, even though she is not even at home right now, and is traveling on a BICYCLE across parts of this country, was nice enough to use some of her resting time to get this beta'd. Also, she wrote the handy-dandy summary below since it's been ages since our last installment of Dead and Blonde. Viking kisses for you, NW!  
_

* * *

_A recap of previous chapters:_

_Ch 1: Friday - Sookie / Eric meet at Merlotte's_

_Ch 2: Saturday – Eric comes to her house to introduce himself and make a date for dinner with her & Gran_

_Ch 3__ & 4: Wednesday, dinner at Gran's, first kisses_

_Ch __5: Friday Eric calls, makes dates for Sunday & Tuesday; Saturday Sookie shops for clothes._

_Ch 6: __Tuesday night date and 2 trips to 3__rd__ base (woohoo!)_

_Ch 7: __ Monday errands, Tuesday night business meeting at Fangtasia; Sookie meets Pam, Bill and Felicia._

_Ch 8: __Tues night with Eric at hotel; Wed talk with Sam about shifters; Thur/ Fri prep and start of trip to NOLA_

_Ch 9: Flight to NOLA, shopping and bedtime_

_Ch 10: Saturday night Meet Sophie-Anne, read Jodee_

Chapter 11

**Eric's POV**

"Help me forget, Eric," Sookie had said, pressing her warm body into mine and teasing my mouth with hers. I might have been able to resist, but then she added that tiny little word, "Please." I was proud of myself for not ravishing her right there. I knew that this, her first time, needed to be something worth remembering.

I meant it with every fiber of my being when I told her it would be my pleasure as I picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. I set her down on her feet right next to the expansive (even for me) bed, but pulled her mouth back to mine as I reached around to unzip her dress. Pushing my instincts back, I forced myself to pull the zipper down slowly and could almost track the chill that ran down her spine. The darkness in her eyes told me that was definitely _not_ a chill of fear.

She shrugged a little to let the dress off of her shoulders; it slid to the floor in a silky pool. I ran my hands over her body – down her arms, across her back, over her hips – all the while keeping my tongue locked in a duel with hers. She started to moan, little sounds of pleasure, in my mouth as we kissed. Her hands untangled from my hair and dropped to the waistband of my slacks. The heat from her hands on my stomach as she undid my belt, then my fly, was maddening; I suddenly wanted to feel her skin pressed to mine.

I pulled back and stripped at vampire speed; she barely had time to gasp at my absence before my arms were around her again. The black lacy underwear she was wearing contrasted nicely with her tan skin, but I barely took time to appreciate the effect before pulling it off as quickly as possible. She had a whole drawer full of new under things; surely it wouldn't matter if I ripped one or two?

She moaned again when I pressed my whole, naked body to her own. My fangs snapped out at the feeling of my hardness pressed to her warm stomach and I rubbed against her before I could stop myself. She wrapped a hot hand around my length, stroking it up and down, causing a low growl to start in my chest. I gently pushed her toward the bed, and she sat down. She looked up at me, her eyes dark with lust and her lips swollen with our kisses.

I followed her onto the bed, prowling after her as she arranged herself in the middle, forcing myself to clamp down on the instinct to flip her over and fuck her senseless; there would be plenty of time for that later. I was still at her feet when she laid her head back on the pillows and her thighs fell open, the titillating scent of her arousal wafting toward me, teasing my senses with the promise of what was to come. I knew that she was most likely ready for me even now, but I wanted to draw this out a little – there was little hope my resolve would last very long once my cock slid into her – so I started at her toes, mouth and hands together teasing and caressing, my fingers working a little ahead of my lips and tongue.

Sookie giggled a little while I was at her feet, my breath and tongue finding her ticklish spots, but her eyes grew wider the further up I went, and she was finally panting wide-eyed by the time I reached her thighs. I was savoring each moment, burning it into my memory, as she moaned and protested as I reached the juncture of her legs, resolutely ignoring every little place she wanted me the most. The animal in me celebrated our victory when she slung her legs over my shoulders, urging my mouth to her center and cried, "Please, Eric!" Who could help the primal growl that erupted from my chest?

Her eyes locked on mine, pleading for the friction that would give her release. I took my time getting there, licking her inner thighs and teasing the periphery of her wetness with my tongue, until she wound her fingers in my hair and pleaded again, "Eric, I need . . ."

"You need what, my lover?" I asked huskily, my breath teasing the blonde curls before my face.

Her hips strained up toward me and her hands pressed down on my head slightly. "I need you," she paused, pulling in a shallow breath, "to touch me."

I leaned closer and slowly ran my tongue along her most intimate parts; my reward was a breathy moan. I moaned a little myself at the taste of her in my mouth, and began to greedily lap up the juices that were flowing. When I felt her start to tremble, I slid a finger inside her and moved my attention to her clit. She peaked soon after, and as she crashed down she put her hands on my shoulders and started pulling me up.

I began moving further up her body, continuing my exploration with tongue and hands, dipping into her belly button, worrying her nipples between fingers and lips. "Kiss me, Eric," she whispered, brushing my hair off my face. I couldn't resist. I braced my knees between hers, my cock tantalizingly close to her wet heat, and pressed my lips to her rosy mouth. Her hands ran down my sides, coming to rest on my ass with a little squeeze. She returned my kiss feverishly, like she'd never have enough; a sentiment with which I was becoming familiar.

After a few moments, her legs wound around mine and she started to grind her hips on mine. She pulled her face back from mine, gasping. "Make love to me, Eric," she said, her eyes full of desire. "I want to feel you inside me."

Fuck. If there was ever a slight chance of me resisting, it had just expired. I inched closer to her, the head of my dick teasing her entrance while I slid a hand down to see if she was ready. So wet already. Again. "_Fuck_," I murmured in my long dead language.

She gasped as I began to enter her. I fought the urge to pound into her; sliding in slowly was sweet torture. I let out a low string of curses when she moaned my name as I paused, buried hips to hips. I took a moment to look into her eyes, which were slightly glazed with passion, to make sure I wasn't hurting her; she stretched up to kiss me. "Keep going," she whispered against my cheek. "You feel so good."

I withdrew and thrust back in, not nearly as hard as I wanted. She gasped again and her hips bucked up to meet mine. She wrapped her legs around my waist and arched her back; I settled into a rhythm, savoring the feeling of her tightness right where I'd wanted it ever since I met her.

It wasn't long before her muscles started to throb and convulse around me, she was moaning and crying out my name, her nails digging into my shoulders and her legs pressing around mine. It was amazing and I couldn't remember a time I had been more lost in the reactions of a woman; I watched, enthralled, as her breaths became more shallow and the look on her face went from pleasure to ecstasy. I quickened my pace, feeling my own release sneaking up on me.

My earlier concern for gentleness was long gone as she met each of my increasingly hurried thrusts with vigor. Finally, I could not hold back any longer when she found her release and she came, her fingernails digging into my skin and rolling her head to the side for my bite. I couldn't stop her name falling from my own lips right before I plunged my fangs into her soft, youthful neck, my body contracting and relaxing and my brain empty of everything but the beautiful woman before me and her taste in my mouth.

I slowly disengaged and slid off of her, tucking her in beside me. She smiled and sighed contentedly and then looked up at me through her eyelashes. "Thank you," she says, in the tiniest whisper, placing a light kiss on my chest.

I grin back down at her, waggling my eyebrows. "Oh I am nowhere near finished with you for the night, Sookie Stackhouse," I whisper back, running a hand down her enticingly naked side. She raised her eyebrows as I picked her up and carried her to the bathroom.

She leaned against the counter as I started the water in the shower and I caught her eyes running up and down my body. There had been so many women (and men) tell me exactly how good-looking they thought I was over the years, I didn't need the reassurance of hearing Sookie explain. However, that doesn't mean I didn't want to hear it. I flexed, grinning. "Satisfied?" I asked, motioning toward my body with my hands.

Sookie walked over, rubbing her hands over my chest, down my sides, then back across my hips to my ass. She squeezed my cheeks appreciatively. "Very satisfied," she said, a playful glint in her eyes as she pressed her body to mine. She pulled my lower body against hers and rubbed herself against me.

Just as I was thinking about how easily she had shed her virginal innocence in favor of a bolder approach, a blush crept across her body. It was even more fetching when I could see all of her skin. She buried her face in my chest, but after a moment looked back up at me and said with a wink, "You know, I thought I'd be more tired after real sex. I guess it's not as much exercise as I thought."

I narrowed my eyes and growled. "I told you, Sookie Stackhouse," I said as I picked her up and put her in the shower, "I am nowhere near finished with you tonight!"

She squealed because the water was not yet warm enough for her tastes and did a funny little dance until it reached a more suitable temperature. I stood back for a minute, watching the water droplets dance across her smooth, tanned skin, admiring the trails and pools that were created. This woman is a beautiful creature.

I was brought out of my reverie when she splashed me with water, the playful look on her face still present. Something inside me was amazed that she found joy in our time together; something else still that I couldn't believe that I did, too. I jumped in the shower after her, pinning her against the wall and tickling her ribs.

Tickling soon turned into more satisfying physical activities; it is a shame to waste a perfectly good shower by not being dirty enough. By the time we got out, her fingertips looked like prunes and she walked like her legs were made from jelly, which made a self-satisfied smirk take up residence on my face. She caught me and started to smile as she crawled up onto the bed.

"Don't you be thinking I'm easy because I gave in, Eric Northman," she said, followed by a yawn.

I laid down beside her, pulling the covers up over us. "I hope you will not be giving in to anyone but me," I said, kissing her gently.

She blushed and shook her head. Her eyes closed of their own accord and she yawned again. She was fading fast, and right before she drifted off a smile reappeared on her lips. She snuggled closer and whispered, "No one but you," which of course made me want to pound my chest like a caveman.

After a while, I had gotten up and checked my messages – answering emails and phone calls about my Area - but right before dawn I wrote Sookie a note and then crawled back into bed with her, wrapping my arms around and tucking my nose in her hair. I laughed a little at myself, because even afterward, as she lay sleeping in my arms, I was a little shocked at Sookie's request. She had practically begged me to ravish her – and I did not disappoint. I smirked, thinking back on the last few hours. Neither had she.

I had wondered if Sophie-Anne would allow me to stay while Sookie interviewed the human captives and was only mildly annoyed when she dismissed me. I knew that there was bound to be some posturing, but did not realize it would push Sookie so far. I was definitely going to be having a discussion with my queen tomorrow, position be damned.

I also needed to talk to Sookie about taking my blood; I was sure that it would make her uncomfortable, but it was a necessity at this point. At least then she would know that I could get to her if she was in trouble. "_So _she_ would know?"_ said a voice in my head. Of course it was only for her; why would I need such reassurance?

Unfortunately, the idea of Sookie drinking my blood got me hard all over again and I looked down at the sleeping angel nestled next to me. I smiled a little to myself and laid my head back on the pillow. Luckily, dawn took me before it could become too much of a nuisance.

* * *

**What ya think? Lemon-y enough for you? :-) Plot returns next time!**

**(PS Did you read the D&B Outtake I have on my profile? It's from Hadley's perspective... go give it a peek!) **

**Lotsa love and Viking dreams,**

**MP  
**


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: Hey folks! I know it's been a while since the last update again - I appreciate your patience. Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter - they really make me want to write!_

_A/N: Thanks to Northwomn, my beautiful beta. And, these characters aren't mine... blah blah blah :-)  
_

Chapter 12

**Sookie's POV**

When I woke the next day, it was slowly. I began in a sleepy haze, stretching each of my limbs languorously, enjoying the tightening and loosening of each muscle. I felt myself smiling and as I stretched muscles closer to the core of my body, feeling a new kind of interesting soreness. I remembered why I woke with a smile; the thoughts and memories of last night came rushing back in vivid, explicit detail. I couldn't help but blush, and then snuggle in close to the source of my recent pleasure for a few minutes, reliving every detail in my memory, until I could no longer ignore nature's call.

After I had seen to my human needs (as Pam would say) and showered quickly, I wrapped myself in a soft bathrobe and stood in the doorway to the bedroom for a moment, just looking at Eric lying in the bed. He was lying on his stomach, one arm shoved under his pillow and the other down at his side; his hair was swept back at funny angles and spread out on the pillow behind his head. Its yellowness made me wonder how beautifully it would shine in the sun, and I couldn't help but be a little sad I would never see it in such conditions. That thought took me away to imagining Eric as a human – a Viking warrior in his prime; how masculine and virile he must have been. I smiled a little to myself; wishing I could have witnessed it.

I sat down at the provided desk and pulled out the notepad and pen I found in a drawer. I felt the need to compile the information I knew about Sophie-Anne's mystery vampire murderer, even though I was feeling a bit squeamish as far as my future employment with her was concerned. I wanted to do a good job on what I had been assigned, a value taught early in most homes I knew.

I could almost hear Gran saying, "Sookie, a job worth doing is a job worth doing right," and pointing emphatically with the spoon or spatula she was using to make dinner. These conversations had most usually taken place while I was doing homework at the kitchen table, eyeing the dropping sun with impatience and wanting to go outside. I tried to argue, but it never failed that she knew my teacher and would say, "Now, Sook, I know Mrs. Watson, and there's just no way she would give you homework that wasn't important. You better show her what you've got!"

So, on my paper, I made a few lists – questions I had, things I knew, and things I didn't know for sure. The murders had been downright nasty (not that one ever wasn't), but I'd been surprised at the degree of hatred in the particular methods. Who did they hate, though - all vampires, or just these particular ones? It seemed peculiar to me that both of them had been favorites of Queen Sophie-Anne; coincidence? I had always assumed that vampires were very careful about security. How had the security been breached? Did the two households have any people in common? Was there some way of finding out that kind of information? Surely that was too easy. Sophie-Anne had undoubtedly thought of that already.

No matter the frightening experience of yesterday, I was proud that I was using my disability to help someone and I was definitely interested in what I would hear from Fabrizio, the servant of the first murder victim that had been found injured, and Bree, Jodee's ex-girlfriend who had been overheard having a suspicious phone conversation shortly before the second murder. Cheesy or not, I made a web on a separate sheet of paper, showing any connections I was aware of between the involved parties. It had to be rooted in real investigative work somewhere, surely, to be in every single detective show on TV, right? I couldn't help but wonder if my experience with mystery novels would help me piece the clues together, then laughed out loud at myself. I could see it now – my new business: Sookie Stackhouse, _Super Sleuth_. I could have it built right next to Merlotte's.

I wondered what other vampires were considered in Sophie-Anne's special circle, and caught myself thinking about Hadley. It was crazy to think that she was here, perfectly fine, after not seeing her for ten years. I really would have to make sure at some point that she knew about Aunt Linda's passing, unfortunately. I hoped she already knew; it would be so much easier that way.

Trying to distract myself, I stared back down at the list I had started and tried to make some sense of it. I felt a little bit better, at least, that I had a definite direction to go when next talking to Sophie-Anne. Now that I was past the events of last night, I felt like I could justify her behavior a little better – not that I was excusing her for it – but, I could imagine that if my favorite people started being killed brutally, I'd have my panties in a wad over it. I definitely didn't approve how she had handled Jodee, but maybe I could prevent such harsh treatment in the future by being a voice against it.

I was pulled out of my reverie by a short knock on the door, which made me jump. I'd been so distracted I hadn't even sensed anyone approaching, so I reached out with my brain and touched the one on the other side of the door. It was a young woman, and she was only thinking about her grocery shopping list, so I saw no harm in opening the door. "Yes?" I asked.

"Miss Stackhouse?"

"That's me. Can I help you?"

She held out an envelope. "This is for you, from Queen Sophie-Anne. She wanted me to deliver it and tell you that she hopes you have a nice day."

I took it from her. "Thanks," I said as the girl nodded and turned to walk away. I shut and re-locked the door, opening the envelope as I walked back to the desk. There were a few pages inside, so I slid them out. The top one was a letter.

_Sookie,_

_I apologize for my behavior last night. As I am sure you can understand, it is alien to me to feel helpless, and the cruelty that is happening on my doorstep has made me feel more helpless than I have in centuries. I do appreciate the magnitude of your great talent and do not wish to squander it by poor manners._

_As a token of my gratitude, I have arranged a day spa appointment for you. The brochure is enclosed and I hope you enjoy it. I also took the liberty of making dinner reservations for you and Eric at a very exclusive restaurant here in New Orleans. They have many offerings for couples whose palates are varied._

_One more word; Eric Northman is very old and wise. I will not flatter myself by thinking that his interest in you is solely because of my own. I may even go so far as saying that my resident Viking is quite attached to you, even if he will not yet admit it. He was rather adamant in securing your safety and good will when it was not required. You would be foolish to push him away if he seeks to bestow his affection on you. No woman has ever come to regret it, I am sure, in the years he has had and he has quite selective tastes._

_I believe your cousin Hadley greatly regrets telling me about your ability and it pains me that I have caused her to worry. Rest assured that you are safe._

_QSA_

Well blow me down – I had _not_ seen that coming. Was she telling me that she thought Eric had feelings for me? Was that even possible? She had been rather cryptic, but it seemed like she was saying that Eric had been looking out for me from the beginning. Maybe it was out of the goodness of his heart? I chuckled a little to myself and thought back again to last night.

I hadn't realized that such a powerful creature could show such depth of emotion. At first, it was like he was going to eat me alive, but he had been so gentle; there had been a profound look in his eyes from the first moment, like he couldn't believe his luck. I blushed a little, thinking of how he had paid attention to every nook and cranny of my body like he couldn't get enough. Then, afterward, he was playful – tossing me into the cold shower and tickling me. It was fun to see him laugh and smile; he was so serious most of the time. It was like I had been able to see all of him last night; every single facet.

I sat thoughtfully for a moment, then pushed those thoughts away and set Sophie-Anne's letter aside to look through the rest of the contents. Sure enough, the brochure for _Le Visage Day Spa_ was there with a hand-scrawled note across the top telling me a number to call for transportation. I spent about two seconds wondering if I should take advantage, but then reached for the bedside phone to call. It was then that I spotted the note Eric had left for me on the nightstand, so I carried it over to the sofa and sat down to read. _Sookie_, it said,

_I cannot fully express how honored I am to have been the recipient of your affections this night. You are a beautiful and strong woman, and I hope to be given the opportunity to pay homage to your body often. _

_Since it is Sunday, there will not be a formal "dining" time tonight. If there are sights you want to see, this may be our only opportunity. We will plan concretely when I rise._

_Yours, E_

I sat back and gazed back over at my vampire. _My vampire?_ I couldn't make myself spare brain resources on that random thought at the moment. I found myself just wanting to spend time with him; I didn't really care what we were doing. I felt that grin on my face again – not my crazy Sookie smile, but an honest-to-God grin – and it hit me. I almost fell off the sofa into the floor.

I'm in love with Eric Northman. Heaven help me – what in God's name am I going to do about that?

**Eric's POV**

When I rose that evening I rolled over and saw a note where I had left one the previous morning for Sookie. It was short and sweet, just like my telepath: _Eric, Sophie-Anne made us dinner reservations for 9:00. I'm getting ready. ~S_

I could hear her tinkering around in the bathroom, talking to herself. She would undoubtedly be appalled that I could hear her quiet, private conversation, but I enjoyed it. And, I could only hear her if I really tried, so after a few muttered comments on eyeliner and one or two on the state of her bosom, I tuned her out and began to get myself ready.

First, I barged into Pam's room down the hall and accosted her bathroom for a quick shower. It was a convenient time for her to fill me in on messages that had been received during our rest from my assorted un-undead employees. Then, I received the message about our dining location – _Blood Bound_ – an upscale restaurant that catered to vampire-human couples; my mouth almost watered, imagining what Sookie was going to wear. Pam had been over to get my black suit, and had peeked in on Sookie. She wouldn't give any details, but her pupils were dilated and her fangs were out when she came back.

I was just straightening my tie and admiring myself in the mirror when Pam came to tell me Sookie was ready – I looked pretty fucking good in my monochromatic suit. I had been skeptical when Pam picked it out in the store, muttering, "It's about the fabric, Eric. The fabrics!" when I expressed that skepticism. Good call, Pam. Not that I would ever tell her that – she is enough of a spoiled brat already.

I walked back into Sookie's and my room and caught myself sucking in an unnecessary breath. She was wearing a black satin cocktail dress and her shiny black pumps made me want to ask her to leave them on later. Her hair was pulled back from her face, but fell down her back in golden waves; her blue eyes were sparkling and her lips were pulled back in a smile. "Ready?" she asked.

I crossed the room at vampire speed, stopping right in front of her and making her gasp. I put a hand to her face. "You are a vision, Sookie Stackhouse," I whispered before I kissed her gently. Before I could get too carried away, Pam ushered us out and soon we were seated at a dim table for two. The candlelight was doing wonders with Sookie's skin and I was entranced.

"What are you thinking?" she asked quietly, raising her wine glass to take a sip. It was red wine and for a moment I let myself imagine what it would be like for her to have my blood. The crotch of my pants tightened at the thought of her teeth scraping my skin, her lips pulling as she sucked on my neck. I really hoped she wasn't too sore or tired from last night.

"Do you not get tired of knowing what others are thinking?" I asked with a smirk.

She smiled. "Yes, but I never know what _you_ are thinking. You're quite a mystery, Eric."

"Should I be honest?"

She snorted softly. "Of course!"

As her food was being served, I let a half-grin sneak onto my face. "Have you ever thought of drinking a vampire's blood?" I asked after the waiter had gone, honestly wanting to know the answer.

Her nose wrinkled. "You mean like doing V?"

I shook my head slightly. "It's much different when it's from the source."

Her eyes widened as she realized I meant myself. "I have not," she answered, then paused for a moment before adding a curious, "Why?"

"Well," I began, mentally preparing myself to make my case a good one, "There are many benefits. For one, the vampire would be able to sense you, if you were in trouble, and be able to find you quickly." I knew this would be the most appealing benefit to Sookie, since she wasn't vain. "Many humans also experience heightened senses, for a time; better smell, hearing and vision. I am also told that it clears the complexion and makes one's grooming habits easier."

"And the consequences?" she asked, quirking a brow.

"The vampire could also sense your emotions; if you are happy, or sad." I waggled my brows, "Or lustful. If blood is exchanged a number of times, it creates a bond that is for all of my observations, permanent. I have heard that it is like having a part of the partner inside of you; you can feel them always."

"Does it ever go away?"

"If you have not bonded, it fades over time."

She let that settle in for a moment, taking a few bites of her dinner. Then, she leaned slightly closer to me. "Now that you've given me the politically correct answer, tell me why you really asked."

I grinned. Damn this woman's perceptiveness. "I would feel better if I could sense you. I could help if you were in trouble." _I want to feel you every moment I am awake_. "We would share a deeper connection, emotionally."

She sat back, pondering. "How many times does it take to make a bond?"

"Three. There is usually some ceremony involved, but it is not necessary."

"Is it painful for the vampire?"

I snorted. Sucking blood, painful for a vampire? "No. It is quite the opposite, honestly."

"How many women have you offered your blood?"

I had not expected that question, although I am not sure why. I thought back over my many years. "There were a few before Pam; but after her, none." This answer surprised her, I saw, so I added, "I am very old, as you know, Sookie; the older the vampire, the more powerful the blood. It is unwise for a vampire as old as I to give our blood to just anyone."

"Does it taste like human blood?"

"I do not know what it tastes like to a human, but in my experience vampire blood is not as metallic as a human's. It is sweeter and thicker, almost like syrup."

She chuckled and muttered, "I'll have that on my pancakes, thanks," to herself. I loved that she forgot I could hear practically everything. She reached for her wine glass and tipped what was left into her mouth, then looked me straight in the eyes. "Are you offering?"

The moment of truth. I nodded slightly. Was I ever.

She looked up and away, as if she was thinking hard. "I'll think about it."

I smiled at her. "Thank you." That was better than no.

We spent the rest of the time at the restaurant talking about New Orleans and what she wanted to see while we were here. I did not want to push the issue, although I had been hoping to get some of my blood in her before her next meeting with Sophie-Anne, which would undoubtedly be Monday night.

After she had eaten dessert and I could hardly think of anything but taking her clothes off, we took our chauffeured car back to the Royal Residence. I was thankful no one bothered us as we walked in and we went straight to our room. That dress had to go.

She turned to shut the door behind us and I pressed her against it, leaning down to kiss the soft spot behind her left ear. "Are you sore from last night?" I asked, running my hands down her body over the soft fabric she wore.

She shook her head and raised her lips to mine, kissing me with tenacity. She slid her arms around my neck and her fingers tangled in my hair, holding me close to her. I unzipped her dress and as it fell to the floor, I could no longer control my body's reaction. I growled, deep in my chest, my fangs sliding down. This woman would be my final death; she was wearing all black lace underneath, including the garter belt attached to nude thigh highs. I pulled her away from the door and spun her around slowly, letting my eyes drink in the sight. Thank the gods for perfect recall; this vision would be reviewed repeatedly, I was sure of it.

Sookie grinned at my reaction, reaching forward to remove some of my clothing. I watched as her fingers moved down the row of buttons on my shirt after she loosed my tie and pulled it off. She pushed her hands under the cloth onto my bare chest as she freed my shoulders; the trails of warmth she left were intoxicating. My belt and slacks hit the floor and she finally tugged my boxers over my straining cock. I moaned when she wrapped her hand around my length and stroked.

Only a few moments later, she took me to the bed and pushed me onto it, dropping to her knees in front of me, high heels and all. Fuck did she look amazing; had I ever known a more beautiful woman? Of course, most rational thought ceased as she lowered her mouth onto me, using her tongue and hands quite effectively. Her eyes stayed locked on mine almost the whole time; finally I couldn't take anymore. I cupped my hand under her chin and pulled her up, flipping her onto the bed as I stood up.

I hovered over her, kissing down her body to undo her garters with my teeth. I took my time, removing each garment carefully – I couldn't rip them all to shreds – and placing them aside. Eventually, I had to take her shoes off although I definitely had plans for them in the future. Then she was naked before me, her pussy glistening with moisture and her eyes dark with desire. _Thanks be to the gods_.

She scooted up into the bed and I followed her. I lay beside her, slipping a hand down between her legs to get her ready and my tongue dueling with hers. Her fingers ghosted over my body, resting on my shoulders and pulling me closer. Mostly to see her reaction, when I knew she was ready for me, I turned onto my back and guided her to straddle me. She got a sexy grin on her face as she realized what I was doing, and she balanced herself with her hands on my stomach as she eased onto my erection. The feeling of her sliding onto me was pure bliss.

I let her get used to this new position for a while; she pumped herself up and down slowly, experimenting with angles and grinding her hips against me as she got closer to coming. When I sensed that she really was close, I sat up, grabbing her hips and meeting her with a little thrust of my own. She threw her head back and closed her eyes, moaning my name. Our pace became more frantic and hurried as we both slipped toward the edge of release. She leaned back into me, her lips on my neck and face, and I held her close.

The tentative scrape of her teeth on my neck almost sent me spiraling out of control; it was like I could feel her thinking about biting me. I flipped us over so I could push into her more forcefully, leaving my neck close to her mouth. I began to kiss her neck where she knew I would bite, teasing her a little with my fangs. Then, without warning, she bit down in the soft spot where my neck meets my shoulder, sucking as my blood seeped to the surface.

It is an indescribable feeling, the flow of yourself into another being in the form of blood. As I became aware of her emotions, the intensity and timbre of them, I couldn't hold back anymore; I sank my fangs into her neck, coming as her blood spilled into my mouth. She came, too, her hands kneading into my back and my name falling from her red-stained lips. I collapsed onto her, resting my head on her breasts and trembling without realizing it. Her head fell back onto the pillows and her breathing and heartbeat began to settle back into their regular rhythm.

She stroked my hair lazily and kissed the top of my head, her eyes never opening. I slid off of her to rest by her side, still holding her close. "Thank you," I whispered. The act of taking my blood, especially after I had been so candid about it earlier, was probably the greatest show of her trust in me thus far.

She shrugged and as she drifted off into sleep, she said, "It's easy to trust someone you love," with a smile on her face.

Did she just say she loved me? _Do I love her, too? _Unfortunately, it was much too close to dawn and I slipped under its spell before I could answer my own question.

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**Hope you have a great day! What do you think happens next?**


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: hey everyone! Sorry it's taking me so long to update... please know that the reviews and favorites and adds make me smile, but they can't force any more hours in the day. Since I can't remember if I've whined about it here or not, I'm currently teaching 8th grade full time (that's from 8 to 4 M-F), teaching 6 hours at a local community college (T, Th 4:30 - 9), and taking 5 graduate hours toward my Master's degree (M, W 4:30 - 7). My spare time is used on my husband, my house, and my dogs - and doesn't leave much time for creative outlets. Not that you necessarily care about my insanity, but I want you to know that I'm **legitimately** busy and not just ignoring Sookie and Eric. And y'all. Otherwise, please know that next semester will (hopefully) not be as crazy, as this semester has proven to me, unequivocally, that I am, in fact, **not** Super Woman._

_A/N, continued: My beta, **Northwomn**, is awesome. She never complains that I only send her a chapter every month and a half or that she hasn't seen hide nor hair of me on twitter or email since August. She loves me anyway, and I love her for it. Adding to her awesomeness, she is hosting a pretty amazing contest, called **I Write the Songs**_. _More details are available under the FF author name _**I Write the Songs**_, or at their blog, http:/i-writethesongs(dot)blogspot(dot)com_. _Even if you don't feel like you can get an entry in by the deadline (which is 10/30), you should still read and review the awesome entries!_

_Disclaimer: Most characters are not mine, and even the one that is bows to the great CH._

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*cue backflash music and cheesy announcer voice* Last time, in Dead and Blonde, (from Eric's POV):

_The tentative scrape of her teeth on my neck almost sent me spiraling out of control; it was like I could feel her thinking about biting me. I flipped us over so I could push into her more forcefully, leaving my neck close to her mouth. I began to kiss her neck where she knew I would bite, teasing her a little with my fangs. Then, without warning, she bit down in the soft spot where my neck meets my shoulder, sucking as my blood seeped to the surface._

_It is an indescribable feeling, the flow of yourself into another being in the form of blood. As I became aware of her emotions, the intensity and timbre of them, I couldn't hold back anymore; I sank my fangs into her neck, coming as her blood spilled into my mouth. She came, too, her hands kneading into my back and my name falling from her red-stained lips. I collapsed onto her, resting my head on her breasts and trembling without realizing it. Her head fell back onto the pillows and her breathing and heartbeat began to settle back into their regular rhythm._

_She stroked my hair lazily and kissed the top of my head, her eyes never opening. I slid off of her to rest by her side, still holding her close. "Thank you," I whispered. The act of taking my blood, especially after I had been so candid about it earlier, was probably the greatest show of her trust in me thus far._

_She shrugged and as she drifted off into sleep, she said, "It's easy to trust someone you love," with a smile on her face._

_Did she just say she loved me? Do I love her, too? Unfortunately, it was much too close to dawn and I slipped under its spell before I could answer my own question._

Chapter 13

**Sookie's POV**

I was sitting on the sofa in my robe, combing out my wet hair and thinking. When I woke up the day after taking Eric's blood, I had a sweet, metallic taste in my mouth and absolutely no aches or pains – not even from sleeping on my arm all night. I had gotten up, feeling refreshed and energized, and taken a shower. Now, I was thinking.

And I had a lot to think about. In the span of two weeks, I had met a vampire. Then I had gotten hired by that vampire to work for his boss and gone on a few (rather steamy) dates with him. After my employment had been secured, I was treated to: an all-expenses-paid shopping trip (and it wasn't at Wal-Mart, either), a spa day, an interview with a frightened human, an intimidation session with my new employer, and a romantic evening at an amazing restaurant. In addition, I had lost my virginity, ingested vampire blood, and, fallen in love with a man who is dead.

Business first. A part of me, even though it scared my pants off, really liked my new job. I was using a part of myself in a way I had never imagined. Most of my life had been spent trying to hide my telepathy, but here I had encountered an entire group of people that thought it was not just a viable characteristic, but a blessing. They weren't necessarily human, but it was nice not to have to wear my Crazy Sookie smile all the time. As much as Sophie had intimidated me during our first interrogation, there was a feeling in my gut that said it was a front. She was scared and feeling helpless – I'd be a bitch, too.

Secondly, Eric Northman. I shivered a little just thinking about him – his icy blue eyes, long blonde hair, the flat planes of his muscles. I had been unable to muster any regret for losing my virginity with him. What better male specimen could a woman find? That wasn't the only thing, though, that helped me gloss over it; he had been kind, and so patient with me. He had acknowledged it was an honor to "_receive my maidenhead" _as my romance novels would have put it. He had been tender and gentle, even though his body had clearly been wanting otherwise; and with what I had heard in my life, that could be reason enough not to regret it.

Then, yesterday I had come to the realization I have fallen for him, and it had taken the entire afternoon at the spa to rationalize. While I was being pampered, I was plotting what I should do – should I just tell him? Would he laugh? Would he reciprocate? Finally, I decided I would show him. I would show him the trust I felt for him, the respect and adoration I held. And, if the opportunity arose, I would tell him in words, as well. I was still a little bit afraid of just coming right out with it – I had never been in another relationship for comparison, so I didn't want to put myself out on a limb too soon.

So, last night, after Eric had approached the subject of me taking his blood it didn't take long for me to decide I would do it after hearing his obviously well-crafted spiel. I hadn't been so sure I would do it so soon, but his reaction to me scraping my teeth on his neck during our sack-session tempted me. So I went for it. At first I didn't even know if I was doing it right, but it didn't really seem like rocket science, and it had definitely sent Eric over the edge. The taste – the thing I was most leery of – was actually not bad. I didn't think I'd want to have a glass of it anytime soon, but it had been kind of salty and sweet and thick – almost like syrup, just like Eric had said – with a metallic aftertaste.

All of these things I had to think about. But I had still not gotten to the most troubling. Last night, after taking Eric's blood and in the throes of post-orgasmic bliss, I had heard Eric's thoughts. Not much; just a snatch of a phrase. When he'd said, "Thank you," his mind had filled in _for trusting me_. And then I did something I have spent my whole life training myself _not_ to do. I answered his thought. "It's not hard to trust someone you love," I had said in response before drifting to sleep. It hadn't really even occurred to me until I was showering this morning – since hearing thoughts has been pretty ordinary for me. I didn't know if he'd even noticed, and if he hadn't, I had half a mind to keep it to myself unless it happened again.

Sometimes, as the consequence of being alone a lot, I had a tendency to think _too_ much, so I mentally shrugged off my concerns for now. The ones I could do something about, I'd already thought of how to address, and there wasn't any sense in worrying about things I couldn't change. Instead of spending the few, sunny hours that were left in the day increasing the worry wrinkles around my eyes, I changed into the bikini I had brought, grabbed the paperback I had started recently and headed out in search of a tanning spot.

The pool wasn't hard to find, since it was directly behind the Residence on the grounds – and for the life of me, I'll never understand why it was outside instead of indoors in a vampire home. There were several lounge chairs around it, so I chose the one with the most sun exposure and lay out, preparing to lose myself in my book. An hour or so had passed when a shadow fell over me. "Would you like anything, Miss Stackhouse?"

I looked up, holding my hand up to block the sun so I could see their face. "Excuse me?"

It was the girl that had brought me Sophie-Anne's letter yesterday. "Something to drink or eat?" she said, and her brain added,"_Because I _know_ that Viking has got to be giving you a workout_,"while she eyed the mark he'd left on my neck.

Yikes. Being around Eric for so long had made me forget to shield. I smiled anyway, and answered, "Sure – I'm famished. Although I can come get it, you don't have to bring it to me."

"Ok," she shrugged and turned as she started back toward the Residence. "Come on."

I jumped up and started to follow her, pulling on the denim shorts I'd worn out over my suit and sliding into my flip flops. "What's your name?" I asked.

She glanced over at me and I could tell she was surprised I had asked. "Sara," she said. _I'm just the help._

I smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Sara. I'm Sookie."

She smiled back. "Nice to meet you, too." She was very pretty – her dark hair and mocha skin contrasted beautifully with her caramel eyes.

"Do you work for the Queen?" I asked, noticing her clothes – white button up and black pants – looked kind of uniform-y.

Sara nodded. "I've been working here for a couple of years during the day – cleaning up and looking after any human guests. My mama worked for Sophie-Anne for quite a while, and then I took her place." A hint of pain crossed her features when she spoke of her mother, and I gathered from her thoughts that she had fought – and lost – a long battle with cancer.

"So you know everyone, I guess," I said, as we entered the largest kitchen I had ever seen. Granite counters and stainless appliances, oh my. Sara gave another nod, but then she was all business when she asked what I wanted for dinner – it was after five already. I shrugged, "Nothing fancy. I'm good with a sandwich or something – and I'll make it if you'll tell me where to find the fixings."

She grinned a little. "You're not like most people that have been here," she said as she started gathering the makings of a sandwich and putting them on the bar area behind the sink.

"What do you mean?" I asked, but inside I laughed. _You have no idea_.

"I've never had anyone offer to make their own dinner before," she said. "Usually they're complaining because I didn't get them their mimosa and po'boy fast enough."

I couldn't help the face I made. A mimosa and a po'boy? That did_ not_ sound appetizing. Sara laughed. "That's what I think, too," she said.

I began constructing a ham and cheese sandwich. "Will you join me?" I asked.

She thought about it for a second then grinned. "Sure. It'll be nice to have a little company for a while."

While we ate, I talked a little about why I was there and the ongoing investigation. Sara had heard about it, but didn't know much – and that was including the extra I heard. I gave an inner sigh of relief. She was so sweet – and basically my age. I would have felt awful if she was involved. We also talked about a lot of other things – I learned she was a student at Tulane (she told me this part), and that Sophie-Anne had offered to pay for Sara's college education as a promise to her dying mother (this had come from my extra sense, naturally). I told her about Bon Temps and my gran and Jason.

Before long, she had to get back to work, but I promised I would eat with her every day until I left. I think we were equally happy to have found a new friend and have some company. There wasn't enough time for me to get back to reading before Eric rose, so I headed back to our room. There was a note that had been slid under the door, informing me of another meeting with Sophie-Anne tonight at ten.

I gazed over at Eric, still lying face down in his pillow, then at the clock. It was a little after six, so I decided to lie down next to him and see if I could take a nap; I'd need to be firing on all cylinders tonight at my meeting. I stripped off my shorts and bikini then crawled under the covers next to him, snuggling up by his side and throwing an arm across his back. I closed my eyes and before I knew it, I was asleep.

**Eric's POV**

I awoke with my beautiful, blonde telepath snuggling up behind me and decided it was my favorite way to rise, hands down. I rolled over slowly and discovered what I had already suspected due to her even breathing and steady pulse – she was sleeping. I couldn't help the wily grin that snuck onto my face. I would wager she had never been awakened using the method I had in mind.

It was only a couple of minutes after I had kissed my way down her body – savoring the smell of sunshine on her skin – and began licking and teasing her most lovely and sensitive places that she became fully awake, her fingers already kneading in my hair. She gasped and then blushed when she realized what had awoken her, but didn't let her modesty dissuade me. I looked up at her, meeting her blue eyes with my own. "Good evening, Lover," I said huskily, running my tongue around her nub.

She gave me a cute half-grin before she whispered, "I didn't expect for you to wake me up like _this_," as her body trembled. Then she giggled a little. "I might be more of a morning person if this is how I woke up every day."

I continued licking and teasing until she was squirming under me. "Eric," she gasped, pulling on my shoulders. "Come here."

I kissed and licked and nipped my way up her body, my fingers taking the place of my tongue in her wetness. She put her hands on my face, bringing my mouth to hers. I pulled my arms up, resting my weight on my forearms above her, and let my cock nudge at her entrance. She broke our kiss with a moan as I pushed forward slowly into her.

I was almost overwhelmed by the emotions I could feel pulsing through her as I continued at a slow pace, taking my time, keeping my face close to hers. Who knew a human could feel so much? Some part of my brain scoffed at me. Who knew _I_ could feel so much? One thing was certain, and that was the fact I could not remember any other time I had been so enraptured in every gasp and moan and back-arch of a woman. I felt that tell-tale pressure build inside me, and inside Sookie, more powerfully than ever before; I lowered my mouth to hers, wanting to be completely lost in her.

Our release sprung suddenly; one moment I was taking my time, eliciting every gasp I could from her, and the next we were screaming each other's names, holding on to each other through the peak. I filled my mouth with her blood, feeling the connection between us glow. Finally, I collapsed next to her, and she leaned over to kiss me.

"I love you, Eric," she said quietly, resting her forehead on my lips.

I squeezed her gently. Is that what I felt? Love? Had I truly made love to a woman for the first time since my death? The words rolled out of my mouth before I could over think it, the words I had said to a wife long dead, in the language that had died only decades later, "_I am yours_."

We lay together for a few minutes, but eventually moved to the shower. She never asked me what I had said exactly, but I had felt her joy and relief when I had said something heartfelt in that moment. After thoroughly enjoying every drop of hot water we could muster, we dressed and then went to meet Sophie-Anne promptly at ten.

As we were walking toward the conference room, we were met by the Queen and her entourage, looking decidedly grim. Sookie and I folded into the group at Sophie-Anne's gesture as they moved toward the front entrance. "Is something amiss?" I asked.

Sophie-Anne shot me a glare, but responded, "Yes. The witch Hadley rents an apartment from has called to tell us it has been vandalized. We are going to see the damage." I felt Sookie's surprise at the word 'witch' but she was thankfully quiet. Anyone could tell Sophie-Anne was not in the mood for curiosity this evening.

"Is the property not warded?" I asked, knowing vampires often sought witches to cast protection spells on their homes. It would make sense Hadley would have requested such a thing.

"The damage is not inside, but on the façade," Sophie-Anne said as explanation. "Apparently some rather unattractive spray-paint art."

By this time, we were all loading into a rather large SUV. "Were there any witnesses?" Sookie asked quietly once we were on the way.

Sophie-Anne shook her head, her brow furrowing ever so slightly. "Apparently not. It happened in the day when most of the neighbors are at work; the witch was away, also."

"Are there no cameras?" I asked. There were many cameras around my residence, with many shutter speeds. You cannot be too careful with security, especially at my age.

Sophie-Anne shook her head slightly, shooting a glare in Hadley's direction. "Hadley did not believe them to be _necessary_," she said with a growl.

An awkward silence crept over us; Sophie-Anne kept glaring at Hadley, apparently over her carelessness. Andre was eyeing Sookie in a way I found very offensive, particularly because I knew he was aware of the fact she belonged to me; I vowed to keep my eye on him. Sookie was glancing between each vampire in the vehicle – she was the only human present – and I could feel she was nervous, but also a little bit excited. Finally, we arrived.

It was a rather nice apartment building, although I would never understand the desire to live in one. It was gated – only for show, apparently, since it opened right up when a car approached, no code needed – and well landscaped. There were several L-shaped buildings spread out on the lot, but our vehicle had parked in front of the largest one, at the apex of the U-shaped drive. After we got out, Sophie-Anne began to lead us around to the south side of the building – the side not visible from the road.

If it would not have cost me my fangs, I am quite sure I would have found humor in the sight – six vampires, including the queen's huge Saxon guards, and a human, traipsing around to the back of an apartment building like a terrible gang of thieves – but Sophie-Anne would have no doubt punished such frivolity tonight. As we approached and read the message, the vampires flanked Hadley and the Queen in a defensive position, although any creature stupid enough to take on the group we had deserved a much more cruel death. Sookie was left, groping my hand and frantically whispering, "What does it say? I can't see it in the dark!"

Luckily Andre had a flashlight at hand and illuminated it for her. As soon as the poorly scrawled, blood red words flashed into her view she gasped.

"Oh, fudge," she said, her hand to her mouth, glancing over in worry at her now-dead cousin. I squeezed her hand gently. Oh, fudge, indeed. I hoped Sookie could get to the bottom of this mystery quickly, for everyone's sake.

Across the wall of Hadley's apartment, someone had painted, _"Your next BITCH_." Well at least we knew we'd win in a spelling bee.

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**That's right, folks, I just made a grammar joke.**

***gets up on soapbox* Just for the record, your and you're are NOT the same thing! Your is possessive, as in - this is _your_ book. You're is _only_ meant to replace the words _you are_. Are we clear on that? Don't even get me started on they're, their, and there... oh geez. This PSA is brought to you by my facebook friend who is IN COLLEGE and apparently believes that _what_ and _want_ are the same thing. As an educator, this makes me do a giant *facepalm* ... *wails* Where did we go wrong in this country? *gets off soap box* I'm just saying - if a math nerd like me can figure it out, SO CAN THE REST OF THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING PEOPLE. Okay. Now I'm really done. Really.**

**So, onto happier things. Lovey-dovey lemons, yes? You like? What do you think will happen next? Who do you think the culprit is? Hmmm? :-)  
**


	14. Chapter 14

_a/n Hey everybody! Happy late Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoy this latest installment of Dead and Blonde. I think that we will be wrapping things up in the next chapter or so and I hope to get it to you in a decent amount of time._

_a/n Thanks to my awesome beta, **Northwoman**, who never complains that I wait so long between chapters she has to read the whole story again! Any remaining mistakes are totally mine.  
_

Chapter 14

**Sookie's POV**

When we arrived back at the Residence, Eric and I followed Sophie-Anne back to the conference room where I had read Jodee. She began talking before she had even sat down, her voice full of urgency. "Sookie, it is of great importance to me that I find whoever is responsible for this. You will read Fabrizio tonight."

I nodded. I didn't think words were necessary. I was also very glad she had allowed Eric to stay with me tonight. We were quiet for only a moment when Andre appeared, a middle-aged man trailing behind him. He looked to be in much better shape than Jodee had been, at least physically. His mind was a jumble of things, bouncing around like Lotto balls.

He sat down without a fight and Andre took up position behind him. Fabrizio's eyes wandered aimlessly around the room, but I held my hand out over the table to him when they met mine. "Hi, Fabrizio," I said quietly, the name feeling strange on my tongue. "My name is Sookie. I just need to ask you a few questions, is that all right?"

He looked down at my hand on the table and stared for a few moments. "Is that your name? Fabrizio?" I asked. This may be harder than I anticipated.

He nodded, thinking of his childhood in New York. "Did you used to work for Gustavo?" Another nod, accompanied by a picture of who I could only assume was the vampire in question. His memories played out a little – he had liked his job with Gustavo because he had always been treated well and kept busy. There was a flash of seeing Gustavo's coffin with a stake sticking out the lid.

"Did Gustavo die, Fabrizio?"

His eyes locked on mine. "Yes," he said with a sudden clarity. "He was murdered!"

"Can you tell me anything about the day it happened, Fabrizio? Any little thing could be really important." I could feel it, I was getting close.

"I . . . I . . ." he stuttered, his memories starting to flit around again randomly. He got to the same place, every time. There was a small figure in black pulling their hand back from the stake, and beginning to turn around in surprise. Fabrizio must have surprised them. But then, after that, it was like a scratched DVD – he jumped to a different image, a different memory altogether, one that seemed to be totally unrelated. First it was a fight he got into sometime in elementary, then the morning of his wedding or the day his son was born. I felt my brow furrow in frustration the fifth or sixth time he tried without success to access it and sat back in my chair with a huff.

"What is it?" Sophie-Anne asked, her normally cool voice trembling with emotion. "Did he see who did it?"

I nodded. "Yes." That much I could say with confidence.

Her voice returned to its icy norm. "Who was it? What did they look like?"

"I don't know," I said with a sigh. "I can't tell much."

"What do you mean, Lover?" Eric asked, gently patting my leg. "What did you see?"

I just knew my face was screwed up in confusion. "He keeps trying to think of the day it happened, but it's like he can't access it. He'll get to a certain point, but then it goes all screwy." I thought for a moment. "Like a black hole. It's gone."

Eric and Sophie-Anne exchanged a meaningful look. "He has been glamoured," Eric said.

There was an ever-so-slight nod of Sophie-Anne's head. "A vampire is involved," she said, her face closing in on itself in what I've come to see as a vampire's mask – the absolutely expressionless face they make when they feel the need to control their emotions.

"Then it couldn't be that church group," I said. "A vampire wouldn't likely work with them – even if they were your biggest enemy." Fudge. That would have made my job easier. I thought back to the list I had made – yesterday morning? It felt like 1,000 years ago. "Did the two houses have anything in common? Or the vampires?"

"They had both been my lovers," Sophie-Anne said without a shred of shame. "There tends to be some camaraderie in my closest circle."

"Who else is in that circle?"

"Andre and Hadley. There was another woman, a few years ago, who did not want to be turned and she eventually moved on – Alice."

"Has anyone been able to find Bree? Jodee's ex-girlfriend?"

"She has been located, Your Majesty," Andre answered, looking to Sophie-Anne, "And is being transported here, as we speak."

"Thank you, Andre," she answered, looking to me. "Could you read her tonight?"

I nodded. "Who is bringing her? Is it someone you trust? If a vampire is involved, she could be glamoured before she gets here."

Sophie-Anne dismissed my concern. "Our people of interest are always transported by Weres, to prevent that."

Then who could have glamoured Fabrizio? "Who has access to them while they're here? Could someone have gotten to them while they were being held?" I felt like the answer was just around the corner.

"That is silly, Sookie," she said, with something close to a chuckle. "The only vampire with access to them in our Residence besides me is Andre."

I looked over Fabrizio's head into Andre's ice-blue eyes, and had the most frightening experience of my life. The moment I looked into his eyes, I knew. I saw, and heard, everything; each dark thought twisted with the others like snakes in a pit; the whispered deals with Bree, who had been scorned by Sophie-Anne, the desire to be the only child, the most important child, the jealousy over the special attentions Hadley received. My eyes widened. "Your Majesty," I began, trying to break the mental hold I had on the soulless murderer across from me.

She didn't even get the chance to respond before Andre was flying across the table, fangs out and hands around my neck. "You're just like your whore of a cousin, bitch!" he yelled as my vision started to fade and I could feel my breath getting short.

Somewhere in the distance, I could hear Sophie-Anne yelling but I couldn't make out the words. Suddenly, I could breathe again and the room began to come back into focus. The scene before me came all at once. Eric had scooted my chair back into the wall and was crouched before me protectively, his hands formed into claws and his muscles tensed for action. Andre was frozen against the opposite wall, his eyes wide and staring at Sophie-Anne, whose eyes were rimmed with red. Fabrizio seemed totally unaware of the entire debacle. Sophie-Anne whispered a foreign word, laced with authority and Andre began to speak in the same, musical language. French?

As the words poured from Andre, Eric relaxed his defensive posture and scooted me back to the table, thankfully pulling my shaking hands into his own. Bloody tears were still running down Sophie-Anne's face when Andre finished and she sat back down at the table.

"I am sure you have many questions, Sookie, but let me tell you this. You have found the murderer; I was foolish to not suspect one of my own house, but it is not a mistake I will make again. His accomplice, the girl Bree, will be turned over to the proper authorities. On that you have my word."

I nodded, still unsure how I was processing anything. Is this what people meant by having an out-of-body experience?

She continued, seemingly without feeling, "Since Andre has made an attempt on your life, despite your protection by Sherriff Northman and I, Eric will be granted the rest of the evening with him, to do as he sees fit. Tomorrow night, he will be tried and executed in our own way. You will stay, and you will see justice done for his crimes."

She and Eric had one of those split-second, vampiric conversations – too fast and low for my hearing; all I could make out was my name and Pam's. Then, she met my gaze, calm as ever. "You are dismissed."

Pardon my French, but – Holy. Shit.

I felt myself get up and Eric's supportive arm around my waist as I somehow walked toward the door. Pam magically appeared as we exited and glued herself to Eric's other side, which naturally resulted in more vampire secrecy. When we entered the room Eric and I were sharing, Pam closed the door behind us and Eric folded me into his arms. When my face hit his chest, I realized I had been crying, and suddenly I couldn't stop.

He picked me up and carried me gently to the sofa, where he sat to cradle me in his arms. He held me close, kissing my hair and whispering softly into my ear. "Sookie, you are well. I am here. Nothing can harm you."

After a while, God only knows how long, I was able to quiet myself. He kissed me gently. "I must go, for just a while. Pam will stay with you and help you get ready for bed. Okay?"

I nodded, scooting off his lap into the seat beside him. "Please come back soon," I whispered. I knew he had to do Sophie-Anne's bidding.

Pam held out her hand to me, so I took it. She helped me up and led me to the bathroom, where she began to draw me a bath. I was certain I would look back one day and be impressed she didn't leer at me, not even once, as I undressed and got in, but tonight I was just tired. My brain couldn't even keep up with everything it needed to process just now.

I had been soaking for quite a while, leaning back with my eyes closed and enjoying the weightless feeling of the hot water, when Pam finally broke the silence. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, touching my arm gently.

Tears began to run down my face again. "He nearly killed me, Pam," I said, my voice trembling.

She ran a hand through my hair. "I know it must feel that way, but I swear my master would let nothing harm you."

"Eric stopped him, then?"

"He was pulling Andre off you when Sophie-Anne took control."

"What do you mean?"

She paused for a moment, then answered, "A vampire must obey their maker. She told him to stop and he had no choice."

"Is that why he wasn't moving at all?"

"Yes."

I couldn't help my curiosity. "Is that why you are with Eric?"

"No. I choose to stay with Eric because he is a good master; he is fair and easy to work for. He has not compelled me to stay with him for many years now."

"Did you hear what Andre said? Could you understand him?"

"Yes. He was speaking French; that is the native language for him and Sophie-Anne. When she told him '_Dites-moi_,' that means, 'tell me.' So he did. He confessed everything."

"How long had you been downstairs?"

"Since you got back from Hadley's apartment."

I couldn't think of anything else to ask right at the moment, so I finished washing and got out of the bathtub. Pam held out a nightgown – one of our midnight shopping spree purchases – and I put it on. "I think I'm going to lie down," I said, walking back to the bedroom. "You'll stay with me?"

"Yes," she replied, following me to the bed. I lay down, pulling the covers up to my chin.

"Thank you, Pam," I said, suddenly overcome with fatigue.

"For what?" she asked.

I felt the corners of my mouth tuck in as my eyes closed almost involuntarily. "For being my friend."

**Eric's POV**

Un-fucking-believable. The queen was being double-crossed by her _formerly_ favorite child. This is one of the many, many reasons I had determined Pam was enough for me. Mostly it's because she is a total brat, of course.

I was below the Royal Residence, in the basement, walking toward the room where Andre was being held until his trial tomorrow. I walked slowly on purpose, so he could dread my arrival; I flexed my back and shoulders involuntarily – this was going to be an excellent night.

It had only taken me a moment to react to him jumping across the table at Sookie – a moment too long, it seemed, since he had managed to get his hands around her neck. When I pushed her back, his fangs had landed in my arm instead of tearing across her face, which had been his intent; he would regret even thinking it before I was finished with him. Sophie-Anne had ordered him to stand against the wall just in time; a second longer and I would have been holding his head in my hands after it had been relieved of the rest of his body.

I let my rage take me over as I opened Andre's cell door, knowing Pam could comfort and care for Sookie until I was finished. This mother fucker was going to pay for harming my Sookie.

His eyes widened as I pulled on thick, leather gloves and picked up a fine, silver chain. Poor bastard probably would have wet himself if he was able.

"You have made a deadly mistake tonight, Andre," I began, only to be interrupted.

"Spare me your banter, Viking," he said with a sneer. "I know what I have done."

I smirked as I set the chain down and moved to a table laid with cruel instruments. There was a short, silver knife with a wickedly jagged blade; I picked it up and turned it over in my hands. "Was it worth it?" I asked quietly. "Betraying the only person who ever liked you?"

He growled. "It would have worked," he muttered, "except for that pandering telepath slut."

I growled back and let the blade fly; it made a resounding thud in his left femur. "You will be careful to remember that Sookie belongs to me. And I assure you, Andre, she is no slut."

We were nearing the end of the evening when Andre made a surprise confession. "Hadley," he gasped, "is part-fae. That is the _only_ reason my mistress could not resist her!" His eyes were wild and his face was covered in blood.

I did not stop my torturous ministrations – did you know that the arch of the foot is one of the body's most sensitive places? "How do you know?" I asked. We had been silent for most of the night; well, I had been silent. Andre had been making fearsome amounts of noise on occasion.

"I could taste it," he cried, his back arching up in pain without pulling his foot out of my hand. He'd learned that the hard way, unfortunately. "It is my gift," he whimpered, taking deep, unnecessary breaths.

"And does your mistress know this?" I asked, finally looking up at his face.

He shook his head, ever so slightly, before laughing maniacally. "I did not tell her she has a weakness!" Good to know.

I looked down at my handiwork and checked my inner clock. There was only an hour until sunrise. I had to leave him undead, unfortunately, so I decided it would be best if I made my way back upstairs. I was generally happy with my work; there was a lot of blood on the floor and he'd heal slowly without a meal, and some wounds – those made with silver – were unlikely to heal before tomorrow night. Just as well.

"Andre," I said, a smile on my face, "I cannot remember when I've had more fun, but I must go. All of this exertion makes me terribly hungry."

He watched me go, his crazy eyes following me, but I did not care. My mind had turned to the beautiful blonde telepath waiting for me upstairs.

Pam met me at the door and then followed me to the bathroom. I was mostly glad Sookie was asleep – I did not want her to see me like this. "I see you've been having fun without me," Pam almost pouted as I got into the shower.

"Staying with Sookie was not fun?" I asked, teasing.

Her fangs ran out. "I did get to help her bathe," she purred, lust coming to the front of her emotions.

She could bait me all she wanted, but I knew she knew better than to touch what I was _definitely_ not sharing. "I had a donor sent to your room," I said. "One I think you will like."

She was off like a shot, leaving me to shower in peace. Just as I was about to finish, I heard footsteps shuffle into the doorway; I'd felt her wake up a few moments before. "Hello, Lover," I said as I turned off the water and stepped out.

Sookie gave me a sleepy smile. "Hey. Do I even want to know what you've been doing?" I was surprised her emotions did not reflect her tumultuous evening. Instead, she was feeling love and pride, maybe a little lust.

I shook my head. "Definitely not." Luckily Pam had the foresight to take my bloody clothes with her. I did not want Sookie to have to deal with them. I wrapped the towel around my waist and walked over to her, kissing her forehead. "I am sorry Andre got his hands on you. They were not there for long."

"I know. Let's not talk about it, okay?" she said, reaching up to kiss my jaw. "I just want to go to bed."

I waggled my eyebrows. "Then that is where we shall go," I said, picking her up, running to the bed, and dropping her on it.

She giggled and pulled me down to her. "No more talking," she said, running her hands into my hair. "We can talk tomorrow."

I kissed her, hard. The animal inside me was very awake tonight.

I kissed her until she needed to breathe, and then she gasped as I ran my fingers under the edge of her nightgown and in between her legs, her knees falling open for me. I knelt down beside the bed, pulling her hot center to my mouth and sending her over the edge with my tongue and fingers a few times before she pulled me up.

"Eric, I need you," she whimpered, pulling my mouth back to hers and kissing me with voracity. Her hand wrapped around my cock, stroking. I growled.

I couldn't stop it; I'm not sure I even thought to try. Before I knew what I was doing, I had taken my lovely, recently-deflowered telepath and flipped her over on her stomach. As she rose up on her hands and knees to look back at me, a slightly puzzled look on her face, I drove into her and she cried out. The feeling of her tightening around me gave me just enough pause to make sure the cry was from pleasure, and not pain. The look in her eyes back over her shoulder told me it definitely was pleasure.

I took hold of one shoulder and one hip to use as leverage and began to pound into her without mercy, claiming her, feeling her emotions rise and muscles tighten as she approached her peak. Finally, I pulled her back on her knees and bit into the soft curve of her shoulder as she came, hurtling me into my own release as her blood poured into my mouth.

After I had licked the wound closed, I held her tight against me as she caught her breath. "Did I hurt you?" I asked, afraid to open my eyes and look for bruises. I had never treated her so roughly before.

"What?" she replied, turning her head to look at me. "Hurt me? My stars, Eric, whatever would give you that idea?"

I looked down at her then, into her fearless blue eyes. "I was a little rough," I said, winking and motioning with my chin to the rags left of the once quite lovely nightie.

She laughed as she looked down at it, hanging limply from its straps. "Oh well." She wiggled a little so I let her go; she pulled the gown off over her head. "Is that better?"

"Most definitely," I said, capturing her in my arms again and lying down with her.

She snuggled into my chest. "How long before dawn?"

"Maybe ten minutes," I said, beginning to feel its pull. "Why do you ask, Lover?"

"Well, I have a confession of sorts," she said; I felt a little shame and some fear from her.

"Do not be afraid, Sookie. Whatever it is, I will protect you."

She chewed on her bottom lip for a second before she said, very quietly, "I knew it was Andre because I _heard_ him, Eric."

Oh. Fuck. "I thought you could not hear vampires, Sookie?" I asked, puzzled. If she could, she had certainly ignored many, many lascivious thoughts on my part.

"Me too!" she said, a frustrated look on her face. "It's only happened twice." A pause, then a guilty look.

"Was the other time me?" I asked. I had suspected, last night, but I hadn't been sure.

She nodded, her face pressed to my chest. "I didn't get much from you. Just a thought about me trusting you. But from Andre there were images and memories and feelings."

"What about now?" I asked, purposefully pulling an image of her, mid-orgasm, to the front of my thoughts. It was an image that had been getting a lot of play, recently.

She shook her head. "Nothing. Silence, just like before." Too bad. I would have loved to see her blush.

I thought for a moment, feeling the pull of dawn very strongly. "The only thing I can say now is we should just keep it between us. Maybe we can discover the reason."

"You're not mad?" she peeped, barely peeking up at me.

I smiled, kissing her eyelids gently. "_No, my love_," I said, in my dead language, shaking my head.

"I love you, Eric," she said, with a fake, exasperated sigh, "But I still don't speak that language."

I laughed. "Good night, Sookie," I said.

She snuggled into me once again. "I think you mean good morning," she yawned, closing her eyes. Then I was dead.

* * *

**So what did you think? Were you surprised?**


	15. Chapter 15

_A/N: Hello, everyone! Thanks for all the reviews and adds since last time - I really appreciate them, and sorry I'm so terrible at replying... I really do read and appreciate them! I hate to say that we're coming to the end of Dead and Blonde... I'm planning at least one chapter; maybe one chapter and and epilogue, depending on a how a couple of things flesh out. _

_A/N: As always, thanks to my awesome beta **Northwoman** - any remaining mistakes are completely my fault. And, nothing belongs to me, of course. Hope you enjoy!  
_

Chapter 15

**Sookie's POV**

What exactly do you wear to a vampire's trial? I had woken up a couple of hours earlier and taken my time in the bathroom; my hair and make-up were done, but I was standing in my panties looking through my recently acquired wardrobe, not quite in a panic yet. I knew Pam would come help me if I needed it.

I had decided that last night, while definitely traumatic and trying, could have been a lot worse. I also decided I would not, under any circumstances, be telling Gran about it. I had realized that even though the situation had been frightening, I had not felt fear. I had known Eric would protect me. And he had.

There had been a moment in the bathtub last night, where I had needed to make the choice. Sookie from a year ago, or even a month ago, would have run out, vowing to never come back. But the Sookie now, she had grown up a little. I had seen goodness in a place that, a few weeks ago, I would have least expected it – the look of concern and frustration in Sophie-Anne's eyes on our way to Hadley's apartment, the looks Pam and Eric exchanged when delivering news they thought I wouldn't want to hear, the way Eric looks at me when I tell him I love him.

They had, for the first time in my whole life, made me feel like I wasn't a freak of nature. Like my disability had purpose and value. I hadn't had to use my Crazy Sookie smile once since I'd been in New Orleans. Not like the one I'd use in Bon Temps, that's for sure, anyway.

So I decided to grow up a little.

I had been so relieved when Eric wasn't angry with my revelation last night; I knew that reading vampires was dangerous, so I was glad that it had only happened twice and didn't seem to be a newly-discovered facet of my telepathy. I'm quite sure whatever Eric had been projecting at me last night would have made me blush, which made me doubly happy I couldn't do it. I was wondering if it had anything to do with having Eric's blood, since it had occurred so closely together; I guess we'd have to experiment if we did that again.

Just thinking about it made me shiver.

I looked over at the bed and was surprised to see Eric staring back at me. I hadn't realized it had gotten so late.

"What were you just thinking about, Sookie?" he asked with a sly look on his face. "It had you most _excited_."

I blushed, I could feel it, but tried to gloss over it with a giggle. "Nothing you couldn't help me with, I'm sure," I said, winking and walking over to him.

He kissed my stomach and ran a hand down the back of my thigh. "What will I ever do with you, Sookie Stackouse?" he asked, quirking a brow. "Blushing virgin to propositioning wanton in two days flat." I leaned over to kiss him and he palmed one of my breasts. "Although if it means you wander around topless, by all means, continue," he whispered, tweaking my nipple with his fingertips.

As I crawled up on the bed to straddle him, I asked, "What time do we need to be present?"

"Nine o'clock," he answered, now with both hands occupied.

"Then you can remind me why I've become a," I paused, pretending to think. "What was it? A propositioning hussy?"

His eyes flashed and he growled as he flipped me over into the bed and began pulling my panties down my legs. "I am happy to oblige," he said, his mouth at my knee and moving north rapidly. Oh the things this vampire could do with his mouth.

He ran his tongue along my center, pushing a finger inside me. He always had me moaning within moments, without fail. He kept his eyes locked with mine, licking and sucking, until I couldn't resist anymore – my head fell back and I cried out as I released, reaching to pull him to me.

He slid up and kissed me, the taste of my wetness still on his lips. I looked up into his eyes, my hands roaming down to his perfect rear, and working up my courage. Finally, I whispered, "Fuck me, Eric." I didn't use that word much, but I'd wanted to see how he'd react.

I wasn't disappointed.

After a split second where it looked like he was replaying that sentence in his head to make sure he'd heard me correctly, he gripped my shoulders and drove into me, growling. He thrust into me powerfully, reminding me of my introduction to new positions last night, which only spurred me on. I pulled my hips up to meet him, giving back as good as I got.

I could feel him getting close, so I reached up to pull my hair out of the way, leaving my neck exposed. "Bite me," I said, drawing his head down.

He did, and the feeling of his fangs penetrating my skin did me in. I held on tight as he pushed in a few more times, pulling at the bite then tensing and releasing with a growl. He licked the wound gently before he moved to lie beside me.

We were silent for a few moments, well except for my noisy breathing, before he opened an eye and cocked an eyebrow at me. "Have you ever even said the word 'fuck' before, Lover?"

I grinned. "Not on purpose. You said it, I needed to proposition."

"You will be the death of me, Sookie Stackhouse," he said, kissing the tip of my nose. "You cannot realize what you do to me when such dirty words come out of that pretty mouth."

He got off the bed and strolled across the room to the bathroom, bringing back a wet washcloth for me to clean myself up a little. "I'll be in the shower," he said.

I nodded and cleaned up. I had just slid my panties back on when Pam burst into the room, immediately noticing my topless state. Her fangs ran out and she sniffed the air. "You've been having fun without me," she accused. I heard Eric laugh in the bathroom.

"It was a private party," I said, grabbing a bra and putting it on quickly. "Sorry."

"You're a terrible liar," she said, walking over to the wardrobe. She opened it and pulled out a black skirt suit and the matching tee to go under it. "Wear the pumps."

I nodded. "Thank you."

I was dressed by the time Eric came back in, and he walked around me. "You look lovely," he said.

I smiled. "Thanks."

Within moments, he was ready to go. We walked downstairs, and Pam met us on the way. The ballroom used for "dinner" on my first night was filled with vampires, all looking toward Sophie-Anne's throne; we slipped in and edged our way to the front. Andre was there, sitting in a chair off to the side, his wrists and ankles bound in silver. The word "Traitor" had been inscribed across his forehead. I shivered. I didn't even want to know how or why it hadn't healed.

The doors were shut and Sophie-Anne rose from her seat. "You have all been required to be here tonight to see justice done," she began in a quiet, authoritative tone. "Last night, with the help of Sookie Stackhouse, my Sherriff's telepath, we uncovered the plot that sought to take those I hold very dear from me.

"Most of you know that Katharina and Gustavo have met their final death. Their murderer sits before you." I don't know if I expected a reaction from this vampire crowd, but I didn't get one. They were silent, watching their Queen condemn her own child. It made me feel noisy and I fought the urge to hold my breath just to be quiet.

"Andre co-conspired with a human girl to murder the three vampires in my closest circle – Kat, Gustavo, and Hadley. I am eternally grateful that my Hadley is still present. I bring you all here to witness that even though Andre is my oldest and perhaps most precious child, he cannot escape the justice that must be done. Treachery will not be tolerated in Louisiana, not even from those we hold most dear.

"The girl, called Bree, has been turned over to the proper authorities with sufficient evidence for her conviction. I have been reminded lately that even though it is not in our nature, we must work within human constraints if possible in the hope that we can live together peacefully in the future. Millennia of secrecy are hard to break.

"Luckily, however, we still manage our own trespasses. And I will manage this one myself." A guard hauled Andre to his feet and forced him to walk to where Sophie-Anne waited. "Andre, my child," she said, her voice strained, "Do you have anything to say?" He shook his head, a red tear coursing down his cheek.

"Is there any falsehood in your accusation?" she asked, then with that same tone I'd heard last night, "Tell the truth."

"_Non, ma mere_," he said.

Pam leaned forward and just barely whispered, "No, my mother," into my ear. I couldn't help it. A tear ran down my face.

"Then justice is being served this night. You are all witnesses."

Sophie-Anne was handed a wooden stake, and she paused for a moment. "May none of you know what it is to kill your own child," she said, then kissed Andre's forehead. "_Reste, mon fils_," she added, then drove the stake through his chest, tears streaking down her marble face.

Then, she stood, proud and poised. She had never seemed so queenly before that moment. She said, without an ounce of emotion. "Remember that justice is swift and sure in Louisiana. You are dismissed."

The crowd dispersed at once; there was no mingling or groups of chatter. Eric, Pam, and I walked back upstairs and went our separate ways.

After Eric closed the door, I sat on the sofa and looked up at him. "What now?"

"Now, we pack and go home."

"So soon?" I asked, surprised. If I would have known, I could have packed instead of lounging in the bathtub this afternoon.

"Sophie-Anne asked me to leave after the trial. She is going to have a few interesting days ahead," he said, pulling the suitcase out of the closet and throwing it open on the bed.

I got out my garment bag and started laying my dress clothes in it. "What do you mean, 'interesting few days?'"

"For one, she just showed a giant weakness in her house – her own child betrayed her. Secondly, she had to rely on outside help to resolve the matter. She will be, 'putting out fires,' I believe the saying is."

Vampire politics wasn't so different from human ones, I guess – one sign of weakness and everyone's jumping in. "I can see that. I just don't get how Andre could betray her like that; like betraying his mother. I can't imagine that."

Eric smirked at me over his shoulder, as he zipped up the suitcase. Darn his vampire speed – it would be really handy when packing. "I guess he did not see it as a betrayal; he was trying to show Sophie-Anne that he was her best child – the most loyal – because he was willing to eliminate the competition."

"That's so weird," I said. "What would happen if human kids did that?"

"They have, in times past," he said, then grinned. "Haven't you read the Bible, Sookie?"

I grinned back, finally zipping my garment bag shut. "I'm surprised you have," I teased.

Eric scoffed. "I have read more than you can imagine. Boredom is quite pertinent when you are immortal," he said.

Ten minutes later, we were packed and ready to go. I called Gran to let her know I would be home the next evening; Eric just told me he had made 'arrangements' for my boarding since we wouldn't be back to Shreveport until nearly dawn.

The same vampire, Rasul, drove us to the air strip, where we boarded the same plane (to my eye) we had flown previously. We took off – I wasn't nearly as nervous this time – and the next thing I knew, my eyes were closing of their own volition, pulling me into a nap I couldn't resist.

**Eric's POV**

I watched Sookie fight sleep for about five minutes, but she eventually lost the battle. Pam gazed at her for a few minutes before cocking a brow at me. "You were serious." Not a question, a statement.

I knew exactly what she meant. The 'arrangement' I made for Sookie was taking her to my home for the day. For some reason I couldn't bear to have her leave during the day, so I planned for her to stay with me. Then I could return her, safe and sound, back to her Gran, myself. I had never taken any human to my home before – not the real one, anyway. I had several houses around Shreveport, but there was one where I _really_ stayed; it was the first place I had considered 'home' in centuries. The revelation had allowed me to settle in, instead of being forced to move more often than I cared to recall.

I gave a short nod. There was no need to explain myself to Pamela.

"I'm not questioning you, Eric," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'm impressed."

I quirked a brow. "Impressed?"

"You are falling for this human," she said, like she would have said 'I prefer the pink pants,' like it was no big deal. "I never thought I would see it happen."

"You seem so sure of yourself," I said. _Why not?_ my brain taunted. Who was I hoping to fool? I was falling for her.

"You have never looked at another woman the way you look at that one," she said, pointing toward Sookie. "Not even me."

I winked at her. "Are you jealous, Pamela?" I asked. "You know I could never have another child like you."

She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Damn right," she said and we laughed.

"Are you worried about her seeing your resting place?" she asked. A vampire's resting place is their most closely guarded secret, for obvious reasons. It's the only place we're totally helpless.

I shook my head. "I trust her," I said honestly. "She is good."

Pam nodded in agreement. "Besides," she added, "You're not as much of a pain in my ass if you're getting laid."

I laughed at her. "That goes both ways, darling Pam."

She smirked. "Then maybe you should find out if Sookie has any eligible relatives. Maybe making vampires happy runs in the family."

"I am," I said suddenly.

Pam looked puzzled – not a look she has often. "You are what?" she asked.

"I am happy. For the first time in ages. It feels strange."

She chuckled, then rolled her eyes. "Surely you can think of something broody to think about while you're enthralling the vermin. They don't come to see grinning vampires, you know."

I laughed. "You really are my child, Pam. Always thinking of business."

"I learned from the best," she said sincerely.

For the rest of the short flight, that's exactly what we did – business. There were always personnel issues; I think Pam keeps a list of things to talk to me about ready at all times.

Sookie awoke when we landed, stretching and yawning which showed her assets most alluringly. "Are we there already?" she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Sorry I fell asleep."

I patted her leg. "Not to worry, Lover. Pam and I had business to discuss which was dreadfully boring."

She smiled. "Am I staying at that same hotel again? What was it called again? Night Called?"

"Moon Called," I corrected as I took her hand to help her descend the stairs to the strip. "And, no."

Her brow furrowed. "But you said 'arrangements' had been made."

I nodded. "They have."

Pam laughed at me and walked to her own vehicle. "Good luck, Viking," she said. "And good night, Sookie."

I opened the passenger side door of my Corvette and let her get in, sitting in the driver's seat about the same time her door shut. "Why did Pam tell you 'good luck,' Eric?" she asked, buckling her seatbelt as I drove out of the airfield.

"Well," I said, "I was a little misleading." She scowled. "Arrangements have been made, but not at a hotel."

"Then where? There's not enough time for you to drive me to Bon Temps and then come back before dawn."

"That is correct." I wondered for a moment if I could keep her guessing long enough to actually arrive at my home; it was only a few minutes away.

"Eric Northman," she said, sounding very serious, "You tell me where you're taking me." Too bad I could tell she was really just feeling playful.

"I think I will let it be a surprise," I replied, then looked at her out the corner of my eye. "Do you not trust me?"

She squealed, since we were coming up on a tight curve and I was looking at her. "Keep your eyes on the road, vampire!"

I took the turn without looking. "I drive this road so much I could do it with my eyes closed," I teased. "Do you want me to show you?"

She shook her head vigorously. "Seriously, Eric. It freaks me out when you don't watch where you're going."

I laughed, rubbing her knee with my hand after I shifted gears. "Forgive me, Sookie."

She placed her hand over mine. "Just watch the road."

A few seconds later, I turned off into the beginning of my long, winding driveway and punched the code into the gate. "We are almost to our destination," I said in a low voice, and heard her heart accelerate. "Do you think we might find something there to occupy us?"

Sookie giggled. "Perhaps," she said, squeezing my hand. "Depending on the place."

About that time, we crested the hill overlooking my favorite home. It was an old plantation home that I had refurbished and I was rather proud of it. Most of it had been restored to its period finery, and it was beautiful inside and out. She gasped. "Where are we?"

"This is my home, Sookie. Will you stay with me here tonight?"

She looked over at me, tears shining in her eyes. I frantically searched her feelings – pride, love, nothing that accounted for tears. "Have I said something wrong?" I asked.

She grinned and leaned over to kiss me. "Not at all," she answered. "It's a very sweet gesture, bringing me here. I'll bet not many people have seen where you live."

"You're the only woman," I said and she smiled again. I knew the idea of the many women I'd had over the years bothered her from time to time. It was completely unfounded, of course, since none compared to her.

By this time, we'd pulled into the detached garage and I helped her out then got our bags. We walked in the back door of the house, into what was now the laundry room just off the kitchen. For some reason, I had kept the kitchen its original size, which was odd for a vampire home. Sookie stared, slack-jawed, at it; it was easily three times as big as her own.

I toured her around the first floor, ending in the light-tight master bedroom on the other side of the house. I took her hand and led her in. "Stay with me, Sookie," I whispered, nuzzling her ear and running my free hand down her side.

She shivered and kissed my jaw. "Where else would I go?" she asked, a playful look in her eye, as she pulled me toward the bed.

* * *

**I know I wouldn't want to be anywhere else ;-) Viking kisses to everyone!**


	16. Chapter 16

_A/N: Hey, everyone! This is the last regular chapter of Dead and Blonde. I have the epilogue, ready and waiting. I thought about trying to drag it out, but, who am I kidding? I'm as anxious to get it done as you are (at least I hope you still are interested)! As usual, this chapter has been beta'd by the amazing **Northwoman**. All remaining mistakes totally belong to me!  
_

_Note: I don't own anything - it all belongs to Ms. Charlaine Harris, who is awesome.  
_

* * *

_Ch 1: __**Friday**__ - Sookie / Eric meet at Merlotte's_

_Ch 2: __**Saturday**__ – Eric comes to her house to introduce himself and make a date for dinner with her & Gran_

_Ch 3 & 4: __**Wednesday -**__ dinner at Gran's, first kisses_

_Ch 5: __**Friday**__ - Eric calls, makes dates for Sunday & Tuesday; SaturdaySookie shops for clothes._

_Ch 6: __**Sunday**__ first date and 2 trips to 3__rd__ base (woohoo!)_

_Ch 7: __**Monday**__ – errands; __**Tuesday**__ - business meeting at Fangtasia; Sookie meets Pam, Bill and Felicia._

_Ch 8: __**Tuesday **__- night with Eric at hotel; __**Wed**__ - talk with Sam about shifters; __**Thur/ Fri**__ - prep and start of trip to NOLA_

_Ch 9: __**Friday**__ - Flight to NOLA, shopping and bedtime_

_Ch 10&11: __**Saturday**__ - Meet Sophie-Anne, read Jodee; Sookie's first (and second) time_

_Ch 12: __**Sunday**__ - Sookie's spa day and dinner date with Eric; first blood exchange_

_Ch 13&14: __**Monday**__ - See graffiti at Hadley's apartment; Reads Fabrizio and solves mystery; Eric tortures Andre in retaliation for hisassault on Sookie_

_Ch 15: __**Tuesday**__ - Andre's trial and flight to Shreveport; Eric invites Sookie to stay at his home_

Chapter 16

**Sookie's POV**

The next afternoon, I woke up next to Eric and realized how much I loved doing just that. It disturbed me a little; where I'm from people don't just fall in love and forget everything else in their lives. I had to get back to Gran and shifts at Merlotte's and keeping Jason out of trouble.

So, I slipped out of Eric's bedroom, being careful to get both doors closed tightly, then used his landline to call Gran and tell her I'd be home after dark.

"Take your time, Sookie dear," she said, her voice gentle. "I'm sure you'd rather be spending time with your beau than chatting with this old woman."

I'd laughed at that – she knew I'd missed her – but then she said something about getting off the phone so she could make her Descendants of the Glorious Dead meeting and hung up. Then, I picked the phone up, one more time. I couldn't leave well enough alone, naturally, so I called Sam.

"Hey, cher!" he'd said, once he realized it was me. "I hope you're back safe."

"I am," I replied. "I'm not sure when I'll be needed again but I could pick up a few shifts for you if you need me." Seems harmless enough, right?

Sam was quiet for a few moments, prompting me to make sure he was still on the line.

"I'm here," he said, low and tense. "What do you mean you'll be needed again? I thought this was a one-time thing?"

"No," I said cautiously. "It comes with a salary and benefits and everything, but I only work when and where I'm needed. So, until they call again, I'm all yours." I thought I had explained that?

"Sookie," he said, disappointment shading his voice, "I thought this trip to New Orleans would teach you that vampires aren't worth working for. You aren't safe working for them."

"Sam," I said warningly, "I am not a child, least of all yours. I'm old enough to make my own decisions and I like this job. It makes me feel useful, like I'm doing some good."

"You do plenty of good here, Sook, at the bar."

I snorted. "Yeah, slinging beer and burgers is really enhancing our society, Sam. Not that I don't like working for you, but this other thing is a totally new challenge. They make me feel _normal_, Sam; like my disability isn't something to be ashamed of."

He sighed. "Why don't you just come by later, Sookie, and we'll talk it out in person? I don't like fighting over the phone."

"I'll come by tomorrow, before the lunch rush," I said, knowing he had meant tonight, but I was not cutting into my Eric time for him. No way.

"What's wrong with tonight?" he asked. It seems like I wasn't the only one who couldn't leave well enough alone.

"I'm busy tonight," I said curtly. _None of your business, Sam._

"Your Gran need you at home?"

I rolled my eyes. "Does it matter, Sam? Unless you need me to work, which I know you don't, my time is mine."

I swear it sounded like he growled. "You're with Northman, aren't you?" he asked, his voice laced with derision. "God dammit, Sookie…"

I cut him off. "Not that it matters to you, Sam Merlotte, but, yes, I am with Eric. I'll be home late tonight, after he rises. He's bringing me."

"Why don't you just catch a taxi from the hotel, if you're stuck there? Or I could come get you?"

"Sam, I am not at a hotel. I am with Eric, and I will come see you tomorrow. Have a good day, I've gotta go!" And I hung up. Which, I'm pretty sure makes me the biggest weenie in the universe, but I couldn't take it anymore.

I slid off the barstool I'd been using to talk on the phone in the kitchen and put the receiver back in its cradle, pushing Sam out of my mind. There would be plenty of daylight tomorrow to make him understand I was just another waitress who could move on. I hadn't really thought that much about giving up my position at Merlotte's, but it was becoming more and more tempting; I only worried about how bored I would be when I wasn't working for the Louisiana vampires. I don't think I could be happy just sitting at home all day, at least not for days at a time.

I got myself a glass out of the cabinet and walked over to the sink, staring over the bar and out the window as I filled it with water. I still had a few hours before Eric would rise; what to do? I thought about going into his study and perusing his bookshelves, but looking out the window onto the veranda reminded me of the gigantic pool he had out back. A girlish excitement came over me and I ran back to his bedroom to change into my bathing suit – a totally perfect tanning opportunity cannot be wasted!

I alternated between lying out and swimming – reading my latest romance novel and taking a dip to cool off when the sun got too intense – for my entire afternoon. I was enjoying my free time so much that I didn't want it to end, and I kept telling myself I would read for just 15 more minutes. Then, I would go shower to be fresh for my evening. But, I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, I was being examined by a very large – and very naked - vampire who seemed to be sniffing every inch of my body.

"Eric!" I shrieked, being surprised out of my involuntary nap. "What are you doing? And why are you _naked_?"

He lifted his head to meet my eyes from where he was hovering over my stomach with a fangy smile. "You smell like sunshine, Lover," he said in that deep, throaty voice of his that made my knees weak. "I thought for sure I would rise with you by my side tonight," he continued, leaving kisses in his wake as he slid up my body, "but finding you in a tiny bathing suit, drenched in sunlight may not be a bad substitute." Of course he totally ignored my second question.

I giggled when he buried his face in my cleavage, breathing deeply. "I'm not a scratch and sniff card, Eric."

He met my eyes again, looking puzzled this time. "A what?" he asked. "Why would I scratch you first?"

I laughed again. "Never mind. If you'll get up, we can go inside," I said, a little leery of our combined weight in the lounge chair I'd parked myself in.

He shifted his hips against me as he kissed my neck. "Why would we need to go inside?"

The thoughts in my head became fuzzy as I felt the evidence of his arousal pressed firmly against my thighs and his tongue on my neck. "Um, the chair? Naked?" I said shakily, my hands sneaking into his hair.

I felt him grin against my skin as his hands did some sneaking of their own. "Perfectly safe, Lover," he said. "I would never buy poolside furniture that would not stand up to proper use. And why would I have gotten dressed when I fully intended to be naked with you anyway?"

I'm sure I would have had an intelligent response, but he chose that moment to slant his lips across mine and slip his sly fingers into my bikini bottoms. He kissed me expertly for a few minutes before he flipped our positions. It happened so fast I really couldn't tell you how I came to be straddling him instead of the other way around.

I could tell you how I was writhing against his fingers for friction, but it'd probably just make me blush. When he reached his other hand up to undo my bikini top I stopped him. "We're outside!" I said quietly, trying to be serious in spite of the serious business going on under my bottoms.

He quirked his brow and wiggled his fingers for emphasis. "And? We were outside the first time we were naked together."

I felt the blush work up from my chest. "We were in the middle of nowhere then. Here, someone might see! Or hear!"

He scoffed. "Ridiculous! There is no one for miles about but you and me, Lover." He paused a beat before adding, "So scream my name as loud as you like," with a waggle of those eyebrows and my blush deepened.

"It just seems so _wrong_," I managed to say. "These kinds of things are supposed to happen in private."

He leaned forward slightly and dragged his fangs lightly across a covered breast. "We are in private, Sookie," he said, then as he removed his fingers from their naughty business below, continued, "but if it means that much to you, we can go inside."

I moaned at the loss of his crafty hands, leaning into him. "You promise there's no one around?" I whispered, pressing my thighs together to create some friction.

"I swear it, Lover," he said, his blue gaze burning into mine. "Only us."

It only took a second for my endorphin-addled brain to decide. I reached up and untied my bikini top, then discarded it on the ground beside us. Eric gave a satisfied growl as he leaned to take a nipple in his mouth. I gasped at the surprisingly erotic nick of his fang on my breast and arched my back into him. He untied the strings across my hips and before I knew it, we were _both_ naked by the pool. Yikes.

His fingers slid back into my heated core and I couldn't help but let my head roll back as he kissed and licked and sucked his way up my neck to that spot beneath my ear that gave me chills. After a few moments, I couldn't wait anymore, so I scooted myself closer to him and lowered onto his prominent erection, sliding slowly, savoring every second.

It didn't take long for me to reach my first peak with my hips rolling against his. He growled as I tensed around him, and then flipped us again, thrusting into me hard and fast. Finally, he leaned forward and sunk his fangs into my left breast, sparking his release and another one from me. We lay still for a few moments, me catching my breath and Eric tracing patterns on my skin.

He was the first to speak. "I suppose I should get you home," he said quietly.

I nodded slightly, looking away. It surprised me how much I wanted to stay. "I guess."

We moved slowly into the house and redressed. I gathered my things together and we walked to the car. The drive to Bon Temps was quiet and I noted that the silence between us was comfortable. I knew from my disability that a lot of couples felt the need to fill the stillness with meaningless chatter, and I was glad we didn't.

Eric kept his hand on my leg, his thumb caressing softly back and forth which I found comforting. I was so deep in my own thoughts – of Sam, Gran, Jason, and Tara – I didn't realize we had arrived until Eric turned into my bumpy driveway. We really needed to get it re-graveled.

"Here we are, Lover," he said gently, looking past me to the glow in the windows. I could see Gran's silhouette outlined in the kitchen window, standing at the sink.

I met his eyes and smiled sadly. It surprised me how sad I was to be home. "Thanks for the ride," I replied, leaning in to kiss his cheek softly. "I know you have to get to Fangtasia."

His brow furrowed ever so slightly. "It is true I have some matters to see about since I have been absent for a few days, but I do not want to leave you." The sincerity of his statement made my heart flutter. "When can I see you again?"

I didn't have any idea when I would be working – or _if_ I would be working, my brain added, replaying the call I had with Sam earlier. "I have to go talk to Sam tomorrow, Eric. How about I call you tomorrow night and we'll figure it out?"

His eyes narrowed infinitesimally. I knew he hated having to play second violin to Sam when it came to anything. "That will only be acceptable if you call me at first dark," he said, his hand coming up to caress my face. "I am too accustomed to seeing you when I rise. I will miss you."

I grinned, a little lopsidedly. "The great Viking vampire will miss little 'ol me?"

He leaned closer to whisper conspiratorially, "You must never admit it to anyone. They will think I have gone soft in my old age. And never tell Pamela. She will ridicule me mercilessly."

I giggled, leaning my forehead against his. "I love you, Eric Northman, Sherriff of Area 5 in Louisiana."

He pushed my hair back off my shoulders and took my face in his hands, his deep blue eyes piercing into my own. "I am yours, Sookie Stackhouse, Bon Temps Telepath."

I laughed at that, I couldn't help it. "We're ridiculous, you know," I said. "You'd think we've been together much longer than two weeks."

Eric kissed the tip of my nose, then got out and sped around to open my door. He was silent as he walked me to the front door, my suitcase in his hand. He set it down on the top step of the porch and wrapped his strong arms around my waist to pull me into an embrace that left my toes barely sweeping the ground. He pressed his lips to mine, my body igniting from the fire between us.

He pulled back suddenly, setting me back on my feet where I swayed, trying to regain my equilibrium. I was looking up to question him when the front door opened and Gran peeked out. "Sookie? I heard the car and wondered if it was you."

I smiled back at her, walking into her open arms for a hug. "Hey, Gran. Eric is just dropping me off."

She smiled over at Eric. "Thank you for delivering her home safely. Won't you come in for a drink?"

I blushed at the thought of the drinks Eric normally took and saw a tiny smirk start at the corner of his mouth. "Not tonight, Adele, thank you. I must get back to Fangtasia to make sure all has been well during my absence. It is my hope that I will be seeing both of you again soon."

Gran nodded and I stepped back over to him for a much more chaste kiss on the lips. "I'll call you tomorrow night, Eric," I whispered, willing myself to stay put when I really wanted to get back in his car and be with him all night.

He started back down the steps. "Good night, Sookie," he called as he walked to his car. I stood on the porch until his taillights disappeared down our winding country drive, and then reluctantly began to wheel my suitcase inside.

Gran ushered me inside, bringing me a glass of sweet tea as soon as my bottom hit the sofa. She sat across from me, leaning forward in her chair. "Did you have fun, Sookie?" she asked. "Did you meet anyone interesting?"

Oh boy. "Well…." I began, regaling her with descriptions and stories of everything I could tell, including my rediscovery of Hadley. We were up until the wee hours of the morning, when our eyes would hardly stay open another minute. We walked down the hallway together toward our respective bedrooms, and I paused to give Gran a hug and kiss as she turned off into the master.

"Good night, Gran," I said, thankful I decided to come home, even though I was missing the late night activities Eric could provide.

Gran cupped my face, patting my cheek lightly. "It's good to see the light behind your eyes, girl," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "Don't let that Eric get away, you hear? He's good for you and I won't be around forever to take care of you."

Instead of retorting about how I could take care of myself, or pushing aside the comment about Gran being mortal, I surprised myself when I whispered back, "I know, Gran. I know."

**Eric's POV**

The drive home was almost unbearable without a tender knee to stroke, but I managed. Fangtasia, of course, had almost fallen apart at the seams without Pam and me over the last few days. There were wait staff complaints to be seen to, orders that hadn't been properly inventoried, and, naturally, 1,932 emails in my inbox which needed my attention.

Luckily, Pam had seen to most of the serious issues, and I was left with only 1,237 emails to read. Even with my superior reading comprehension, it took most of my evening to wade through the meaningless chatter to the interesting stuff. I handled area business, maneuvered a conference call with the other Sheriffs of Louisiana, and even enthralled the vermin for a time. Finally, with hardly more than an hour left of darkness, I could go home.

I could still smell her in my home, on my sheets. I had half a mind to force her to live here; I got hard at the thought of rising to her every night. A new plan hatched in my head to encourage her to relocate to my house, but I didn't want to rush it. I know humans have a sense of propriety and it is unusually strong in my Sookie – she would not take cohabitation lightly. I vowed to ask Pamela what Dear Abby had to say about the matter.

I bathed languidly, feeling the hot water run over my body and imagining the previous days when Sookie had joined me during a shower. My recollections were so pure I could almost feel her next to me; smell her there. I crawled in my bed with ten minutes to spare just so I could bury my face in the pillow she had used. Her scent was intoxicating; I could never get enough.

Just before the dawn pulled me under, I shook myself. _Vikings don't get love-sick_, I reminded myself, questioning my manliness, my vampire nature. _I am a killer, ruthless and strong_, I repeated.

Despite my pep talk, as I was falling into my daytime death, my brain taunted, _Vikings didn't have Sookie Stackhouse, Northman_.

Indeed.

* * *

**And, unfortunately, not all mid-twenty young women have an Eric Northman. Right? Right? 3**


	17. Epilogue

_A/N: Here it is, the last installment of Dead and Blonde. I hope you guys enjoy it! As usual, many thanks to my beta, **Northwoman**_**. **_You have helped me and supported me so much throughout this journey - never a negative word, even though I've gone weeks and weeks between updates. I love your Northern Encouragement! *kisses*_

_And: Thanks, Ms. Harris for these awesome characters.  
_

Epilogue

Thursday was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky and a light breeze kept the Louisiana sun from being too oppressive. The smell of bacon and biscuits woke me around 9:30 and by ten, I could no longer resist. Gran and I had a quiet breakfast, then I showered and dressed so I could make my trip to see Sam.

I walked in the front door at about eleven; I didn't want to have to compete with the lunch rush for Sam's time. He was standing behind the bar, wiping it with a bar rag, and he looked up when I came in. "Hey, Sook," he said with a grin. "Glad you made it home."

I smiled back, but kept my voice detached. "Can we talk in your office, Sam?"

He nodded, motioning for me to go on back. Once we were inside, Sam shut the door behind us and I waited for him to sit. Instead of his chair, he rested against the side of the desk and held his hand up to keep me from speaking. "I know what I said to you yesterday was wrong, cher, and I'm sorry. But I can't let you keep working for Northman, Sookie. You can't even imagine what he would do to enslave you for the Queen."

I felt like he had just slapped me across the face. "Sam Merlotte!"

His face was red and screwed up with emotion. "I could take better care of you, if you'd let me," he said quietly, looking at the floor. Sam was a harder read than most, but I could see the image he had in his mind of me in a white dress walking down the aisle to meet him.

My mouth opened and closed, like a fish out of water. This was the last approach I had expected. "Now you wait one minute, Sam," I said tersely, staring a hole in his forehead since he wouldn't meet my eyes. "We are here to talk about my _job_, as a _waitress_ in your bar. Not any personal relationship we maybe could have. If you need me to still sling beer for you, fine, but I will not let you undercut my relationship with Eric. You don't know _anything_ about him!"

He met my eyes, then. "He's a vampire, Sookie! What do you see in him?"

"Well for starters," I shot back, "Everything he's wanted from me he's been honest about it from the beginning. And for your information, he's the one that made sure my contract with the Queen was _fair_. I tried to talk him out of a million benefits, but he wouldn't let me!"

"Sookie, I can see we're not going to get anywhere. Why don't you just calm down and let me get you a Coke. We can talk about this later," he said, moving toward the door.

I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "I don't know what kind of torch you're carrying for me, Sam, but you gotta get over it. It won't ever work between us; you're too good a guy to be pining over me. You just need to tell me if I still have shifts here, or not."

He rolled his eyes, jerking his shoulder away from my hand like I'd burned him. "If you're going to be working for Northman with his amazing salary and benefits, what's the point, Sookie? He'll just be calling me all the time for you to take off so he can get what he _really_ wants." The picture in his mind of Eric and I was a little vivid for my tastes.

That was too much for me. Before I could stop myself, I pulled my hand back and slapped Sam full across the face. "That's for implying I'm cheap, Sam Merlotte. You can take your bar and shove it!" I whirled around and stormed out of the bar, slamming my car door when I got in. I sat in the parking lot for a minute, breathing hard and whacking my steering wheel a time or two.

Finally, adrenaline spent, tears began to fall down my face and I pulled out of the lot and onto the highway toward Hummingbird Road. I was still crying when I walked onto the porch where Gran was sitting on the porch swing, knitting a baby blanket for God only knows who. She patted the seat beside her when she saw me, and I sat down, leaning onto her shoulder.

"The talk didn't go so well with Sam, Gran," I whispered softly. "He thinks I'm cheap and Eric's using me."

She paused her work to pat my hand. "Change is hard for a lot of people, Sookie. Sam will see in time that this job is better for you."

"But what if it's not? What if it all goes terribly wrong and I hate it?"

She gave me a stern look out of the corner of her eye. "Stackhouses don't worry about 'what ifs,' Sookie. We're doers, not worriers. If this job doesn't work out, the good Lord will have another one waiting for you. Just look how long it took this one to come along."

"You're right, Gran," I said, closing my eyes. There was so much comfort here – the slight lilting of the porch swing, the breeze stirring gently around us, the feel of Gran's solid shoulder under my cheek. But I couldn't help feeling it wasn't enough. I was missing strong hands and a playful smirk that made me feel triumphant.

Eric had ruined me; my home in Bon Temps was no longer enough. I wanted to get out and see the world, the other kinds of people (and creatures) that it had to offer. I wanted to be more than the waitress at the local watering hole; I wanted to use my disability to help people. Eric had given me that opportunity and I vowed to myself I wouldn't waste it.

So, hours later, after dinner was eaten and the dishes were done, when I sat down on the stool in the kitchen to call Eric about an hour after first dark, I did it with a kind of silent trepidation, hoping the last few days hadn't been a dream.

"Fangtasia, the bar with a bite."

"Hey, Pam, it's Sookie. Can I talk to Eric?"

"Of course. He's been anxiously awaiting your call. He keeps pretending to work, of course, but I know that he hasn't read a single email all night."

I giggled, but it was cut short by that silken voice. "Hello, Lover."

"Hi, Eric," I said, rolling my eyes. He was such a drama king. "How has your evening been?"

I had figured this would be a run of the mill conversation for us – me being embarrassed by his lewd suggestions – so imagine my surprise when he said, "I hope you are not too tired from New Orleans, Sookie, because I have found us another adventure." I held my breath. So soon? Another excuse to see new places with the vampire I couldn't get out of my head? He continued. "Are you interested?"

"Interested?" I repeated. "Am I ever!"

* * *

**Signing off, ~Math Princess.**


End file.
